Forbidden Kiss
by twiniitowers
Summary: 082403--!Complete! Please RR--The next story is coming soon
1. Forbidden Kiss

Chapter 1

Forbidden Kiss

Later in the Saga  

       He put his arm around her as they sat on the sofa, seemingly innocent to watch TV, he never gave much thought to romance and anything having to do with matters of the heart.   She was cute and didn't realize she didn't need to have low self-esteem.  She assumed no one wanted her because of her situation but that was not true.  He let a small smile escape from his soul and went towards her, she wasn't sure what came next.  Well, she knew what came next, but didn't experience it herself.  He gently put his lips to hers it was her first kiss.  She never thought the moment would come.  She's known him for so long she knew it to be true.  He put his hands on her shoulders and brought her close again for another kiss, he wasn't sure how to do the tongue thing, and he didn't want to frighten her with such a forward move, so he skipped that.  He unbuttoned her blouse and she with shaky hands unbuttoned his vintage shirt.  He got up and made sure she was in the right position, he asked her, if everything was all right and she nodded. He kicked off his sneakers and helped her take off her shoes.  He carefully got on top of her; they were just experimenting with positions to try.  He wasn't ready to 'Do It' yet.  

She put his hands through his loose brown wavy hair.  He liked her, he really liked her.  She couldn't believe it, because she always thought she was repulsive.  She had a crush on him for years, wondering when he'd notice.  He

was never condescending or patronizing, he accepted HER for HER; he always did, even when they were little kids.  Her shirt was on the floor and he was nervous when he saw her tiny white bra with the pink rose in the center.  She let her hands explore his chest, as she lay upright.  It was slightly hairy in the center and he had the trail that led to---she blushed.  She maneuvered his hand to the back of her bra to undo the snap in the back.  He couldn't believe he was staring at her naked breasts, he was so afraid of her hurting her that he moved slower than he normally would have.  She pushed his head down into her bosom with all the strength she had.  He kissed each one it gave her small pleasure.  It had to be all about foreplay for her, if they did 'Do It' it would physically be for his benefit only.  He looked at her and they both smiled, not wanting to stop.  Should they go all the way? Or should they go back to watching TV?  Could they just continue doing everything but 'The Act'?  He accidentally knocked her glasses off and they laughed.  He got up and got them off the floor and put them back on for her.  She told him to continue what he was doing before.  She grabbed his silver belt buckle and he pulled away.  Was she sure?  They were only going to fool around and even that came by surprise.  He put himself closer to her so she could unbuckle his belt, he could feel excitement as he slid out of his jeans.  He helped her get out of her jeans.   Were they going to 'Do It'?  Then it seemed foolish to be afraid of a little French kissing!  She wondered if he loved her?  LOVED HER?  Not like a sister but REAL LOVE?  She wasn't going to ask.   He kissed her stomach going up almost not hearing the door slam.  'F***' he thought.  

"GET OFF MY DAUGHTER!"  

Changing to Hunter's POV

"Mr. F-" I start to nervously say, "Eric—"

"Daddy!"

Then of course Donna had to come in now I know what Tiffany meant by Sgt. Donna she was going to explode.  Was it because we were teenagers or because Megan lives in a wheelchair?  I wasn't about to ask as I zipped up my jeans.  Mom is going to freak out—Will Dad?  

"What do you two THINK you are doing?"  Donna asked

"Mommy!"  Megan cried, I covered her with a blanket, she'd be too nervous to get dressed.

"Donna, did you find Eric---?"  Mom's voice trails off as I jump from the sofa buttoning my shirt.

"Are you going to punish me?"  I stupidly ask, looking up at my Father in the doorway.  He was always the no-nonsense one, surely he'd understand—he GOT things, he wouldn't scream like the rest.

"Hunter, get in the car."  

What?  Okay, he didn't scream, but he had the non-accepting attitude like Mom, Donna, and Eric.   I kiss Megan on the cheek and whisper to her that it'll be all right.  I wasn't going to give them the fight they wanted.  Eric gave me a piercing look, Donna had her "Men are pigs" face on, and Mom pulled on my sleeve as Dad walked in front.  I could hear her crying as we left.  How dare they treat us like strangers?

Changing to Megan's POV

     They went in a corner and I don't know why because I turned my hearing aid off, so I don't have to hear them.   They've known Hunter since he was born, why are they treating him like a stranger who violated me?  Mom and Dad know the tricks because they came back and Mom put my hearing aid back on.  

"Why so you could yell at me?  I didn't do anything wrong!  You two DIDN'T wait."

"It was just wrong."  Dad said

"Why?"  I tried not to cry but my glasses had droplets on them.

"Because NICE teenage girls don't have sex on the living room sofa."   Mom said

"Or do you mean NICE handicapped girls don't have sex on the living room sofa? —And we didn't."

I just let them yell at me; even sweet Daddy had the veins pop on his head. He's never yelled much at me and most of it came tonight.  Why are they yelling?  My parents did dope in this very room, every one of them had premarital sex, and they are trying to tell us what to do?  No way.  I give them a hushed sorry, pretend to accept my grounding and wait for them to go upstairs to their room to talk about me some more before I get dressed and go downstairs to my room.  They never realized I was happy.  And I thought they wanted me to be?

Hunter's POV

     My god.  Mom won't shut up.  I got my grounding and lecture.  I could hear them through my closed door.  The blue pencil broke when I pressed too hard on the paper.   Dad surprised me.  Why is he against this?  I'm glad Hannah's not here and Tiffany's in her NYC penthouse because I don't need to be bugged.  I need something to drink and walk to the kitchen as Mom remembers her "baby boy".  They said we were going back to Pennsylvania tomorrow.  I bet she's crying herself to sleep.  They forgot to take my phone away—it was vibrating in my pocket.  

"Hello?"  I talked quietly into the receiver, grabbing a can of soda out of the fridge

"How bad was your yelling?"

"The same as yours probably.  I'm grounded."

"So am I."

"Megan—we're going back to Pennsylvania tomorrow."

"No, you're not, Hunter."   It sounded like she had a plan.  
  
"We can't runaway."

"Running away is when you don't have a place to go, and we have a place to go."

"Where?"  I ask

She told me—they'd yell at us more and ground us more.  She asked me if I had regrets.  I don't.  She's a beautiful girl.  

"So, let's go, Hunter?  I want us to finish what we started, you were good."

I blushed.  "Thanks.  Um—How about I sneak over at midnight?  Leave your backdoor open."

"Okay. L—" She wanted to say it.  Hell, I wanted her to say it.  I felt the same way, too.

Megan's POV

         I sit on the bed my stomach more nervous then when we were in our compromised position.  I was afraid they'd hear my squeaky wheel.  Hunter Hyde aged sixteen quietly walks into my room and kisses me on the lips, soft and sweet.  I explain to him, how are we going to get out of the house?  They'll hear my wheelchair.  

"I could try and carry you."

I smiled, "I'm too big."

"Then we'll just have to get Donna and Eric out of the house."  
  
"How?"

"I don't know---I'm thinking, Megan."

"Call Hannah, she can call Mommy and Daddy."

"I think I can work with that."   Hannah was at her sports camp.  She had no idea how I felt for her brother.  I don't know how accepting she'd be over it.

Hunter took his phone out of his pocket to call his sister.  After this she may not want to be my best friend anymore.  He went in my bathroom so he could talk without risk of my parents catching him down here.  

I don't know if he loves me in THAT way that every woman dreams of.  But I, Megan Lynne Forman love Hunter Daniel Hyde.

      Donna's POV

         That little witch.  Sorry to be so blunt, she's my daughter and I love her, but now she crossed a line with me.  Her and Hunter don't realize the havoc they caused making us think something happened to Jackie.  Not after we had to bury our parents in a space of two years.  It's not that I don't like Hunter.  Before this he was always a good kid, he was like a sort of Hyde-lite because he didn't have any walls and with his loving childhood he didn't need them.  He still was anti Government and liked to dress in his Dad's shirts.  Now instead of Jackie and Hyde going back to Pennsylvania we ALL have to get on a plane and go to New York City and to Jackie's old apartment that now belonged to Tiffany.  I had my doubts on Ms. Tiffany but as soon as she got them settled, she called us.  I think Megan is infatuated with Hunter and I don't want to see her get hurt.  I think Eric wouldn't mind if she stayed a virgin forever.  He wonders why I don't dye my hair like he does.  It's because I feel I earned my small gray strands.  Plus our youth was gone when we got married the first time.  One minute you are a teenager sneaking off somewhere because you have "evil" parents and the next you are close to sixty.  And even though fifty was the "new" forty—I think we just know best.  I hope it was worth it because she is grounded for an eternity.  

Hyde's POV

      They always say to watch out for the quiet ones.  I pictured a trip like this

with Hannah but she's so into her extra circular activities that she never had a serious boyfriend. She is in such trouble for her part in this when she gets back; I don't know where to begin.  I know Hunter thinks I'm a hypocrite that I should be supportive when the other PARENTS (including Jackie) aren't. It's not that I don't like Megan; she's a good kid who overcame a lot.   I'm not against them dating but they didn't give us the chance to be supportive.  They didn't even date.  Unless they counted one of our group outings as some sort of "date".  They just went right to exploring their bodies.  I can't even make fun of the conniption I know Forman had because I probably would have yelled something similar if I were the one to first walk in on them.  They think we don't know anything because we're their parents.  I've been around the block more than once and I won't stand for any of my kids lying to me.  Jackie's crying about how her "baby boy doesn't need her" anymore.  Hunter was almost self sufficient when he was five!  We settled our punishment on the way because we don't want to look like goons in front of our kids—I'm not going to stop him for drawing, it's his backbone, but I am canceling the check I wrote yesterday for the young artist camp.  He can draw all he wants but he'll doing it from his bedroom to where he will be spending even more time in the next three months until school starts again.  If only my son were honest with me from the beginning I wouldn't have to act like the so-called hypocritical parent.  (I tell you they all like to point out things and call any one of us hypocrites—just wait until the day that they become parents.)

Eric's POV

     I know I caused my daughter pain.  I hated yelling at her.  I never carried on so much.   Just seeing Hunter, even though I've known him since he was born, on top of my daughter and most of their clothes on the floor.  I freaked.  It's part of the parent code.  I never thought Megan would runaway.  I hate having to punish her it makes me feel sick inside.  Because I don't take enjoyment in putting her down like my Dad did to me.  Donna's going to go on another rampage when we get there I can tell.  I don't want to scream anymore.  I just don't want Megan to resent us.  I could've been the happy-go-lucky Eric Forman and not have screamed when I saw them but sometimes you have to be the adult.  The parent.  God, I'm beginning to hate that word.  I don't want my lollipop to hate me.  But she's going to.

Jackie's POV

      I can't stop crying; I know I'm driving Steven nuts.  But he didn't carry that boy in his body for nine months.  Megan's not the girl for Hunter.  It's not because she's in a wheelchair, that's how Jackie at sixteen would have rationed it.  It's just that I don't feel they belong together.  I am partly happy despite feeling like cr**, because I get to see Tiffany.  I haven't seen her since the last family gathering and although we aren't distant, we're not as close as I'd like us to be.  Hannah—are all my kids turning on me?  Hannah is going to wish I was "seriously hurt" and she will be punished when she comes home from camp.  Steven and I are private people and we don't want to take her home early so "everyone" could know what's going on.   But we did tell the counselor to take away her phone privileges with the exception of a legitimate medical emergency.   My beautiful boy.  He looks so much like his Dad, when he hit puberty his hair started to get a nice natural wave in it, not as much as his Father's but still handsome.  He's always borrowing his shirts even though Steven gave him a couple.  If Megan sees in Hunter what I see in Steven we are going to have a rocky road ahead of us.  I don't know what I'm going to do with Hunter.  My baby boy is not a baby boy anymore but a young man.  I am having trouble letting him go the way Kitty was with Eric.  I'm just glad we all haven't turned on each other and that all four of us are on the same page.  I'd have hated to lose my friendships.  I know Steven would too even though he'd never admit it.

Hunter's POV

      I knew she'd call them.  We didn't even get to 'Do It'.  Megan is frightened on crossing another line with her Mother.  I'm not afraid.  Well—maybe, just a little.  

My Dad doesn't like disrespect.  I'm more afraid of him than my Mom.  She'll just do more carrying on like she did the first time.  They're not even waiting for proper morning Tiffany said they were going to take the first available plane and I'm surprised Mom didn't just rent a private jet for the occasion.  I needed some space not from Megan just from the situation and took my freedom while I still had some and went to the corner store for a comic book.  If any other kid did that, they'd all go, "See you aren't ready" but they know it's what I do, so it's become like a safe haven.  I'm not looking forward to being pounced on by OUR PARENTS.  I wish they would just leave us alone, but I better not say that because I think my Father will drop me off in the woods somewhere, no one gets Steven Hyde angry.  His kids are no exception.

Megan's POV

        The best part was making out on the Greyhound bus.  His lips are so warm; he makes me forget that I can't walk.  He made me a paper flower for me out of the bus schedule.  Mom is going to yell even more than she did earlier.  Dad is going to follow her suit.  We got Hannah in a lot of trouble for her lying that something happened to her Mother just so we could sneak out of the house and go to the bus station.  I can see why Tiffany called everyone, but THEY knew we weren't kidnapped by a vicious gang, they knew we ran off.  Hunter asked if he could go out for a comic book, I said, sure.  We're in even more trouble then we were just HOURS ago.  I wish it were over with because I know they're going to make sure we have no contact with each other.  No emails, no phones, I think Mom will even take away my emergency cell and let me lie on the street somewhere.  I stopped crying for the moment; Hunter said when he came back from the store he was going to take me to the park across the street so we can watch the sunrise.  

Back to third person

           Tiffany dreaded answering the door she felt bad for Hunter and Megan.  She did her rebellion.  It's what young people do on the road to finding out who they are.  They must have taken the fastest elevator or sprouted wings because they arrived up here very quickly.

"All right, where are THEY?"  said Donna

"No 'hello'?  They're not here."  Tiffany invited them in.  

"WHAT?!"  Jackie screamed

"Relax, Mother.  They only went across the street to look at the sunrise before getting ganged up by all of you."

"Looking at the sunrise?  I should ground him an extra month for that."   Hyde said

"We just want to take our kids home."  Eric replied tiredly

"Do you have to yell at them and make them feel more terrible than they do all ready?"

"Tiffany, this is not your business."

"What else is new, Dad?"  she replied pointedly.

Tiffany felt bad for what Megan and Hunter were going to walk into when they came back.

Megan's POV

     Hunter helped me out of my chair so I could sit next to him on the park bench, I could've done it myself, but it was slightly wet from an overnight rain and he was worried I'd get hurt.  

"I bet they're here by now."  Hunter said looking at his '70s retro style watch.  

"I know.  I don't want to talk about them."  I put my head on his shoulder.

He's the sweetest, most caring young boy I have ever known.  They're treating him like he escaped from a maximum-security prison.  Hunter has his own style, he won't wear sunglasses because he's afraid of just copying off his Dad, he only wears them when it's hot and humid out an actual reason to wear shades.  He wears these cool vintage button shirts; some came from Hyde's closet, and others he'd get from flea markets and the Salvation Army store.  He likes to wear vintage Adidas from the late '70s early '80s, which are hard to find in a good wearable condition, even on Ebay.  His jeans must have a slight flare and cover the top of his sneakers and not show any sock.  No one else in his school looks like him. Even his best friend Thomas wears normal clothes nothing vintage.  I want to ask him what he sees in me?  What can I offer him?  I thought he'd reject me like all the rest, but he hasn't.  We got in trouble (and we're going to get in even more before the day is through) for each other.  I hate how people expect handicapped people to date similar people.  It's one thing if that's where your heart lies, but that isn't where my heart lies.  It's nice holding his hand; he wears a small pinky ring.  It's great just seeing the sunrise with him.  You'd think if anyone would understand our love, it'd be our parents, I guess their life experiences don't apply to their children.  He leans in to kiss me.  We're not going to be able to do this for a very long, long time.  I start to cry realizing this is our 'goodbye'.  

"Why are you crying?"  he gently asks me

"I was just thinking we won't be seeing each other for a very long time.  I'm going to miss you, Hunter."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Megan."  He kisses me again.

Hunter's POV

      I bet they're going to take my camp away.  I look at Megan's sensitive blue

eyes and I know they're going to do everything in their collective powers to separate us, so I could care less about losing my camp privileges.  Some people stared us at the bus station and on the streets wondering what could I see in Megan?  She probably has that insecurity herself.  She's pretty, smart, and a great person.  But Donna and Eric probably think she is the Whore of Babylon right now.  I kiss her for the 'last' time as I help her into her wheelchair, I know she can do it by herself, but I want to help her.  I'm a gentleman.  I wonder if I tell my Dad that if he'd believe me?  I suppose he would say a gentleman wouldn't try to 'Do It' on the living room sofa.  

I'm not about to throw in his face all of the mischievous things that I know about him.  I know better, unless he got me so riled that it just came spilling out.  Mom is going to be extra smothering once I start my groundation and that is going to suck because I hate being smothered.   I wheeled Megan the long way around and a part of me hopes they saw me from the balcony.  Why should we rush our punishment?  Even though I do want it over with.  I'm going to paint a picture for Megan and THEY better let me mail it to her.  I'm going to draw the sunrise with the NYC skyline.  I don't know if I should put us in the picture or not.  It's not Megan, she's beautiful.  It's me, I don't know if I want to put myself in the picture.  

We entered the apartment through the back entrance; the guard let us in because he remembered us from when we arrived.   If it was just me I'd have taken the stairs, but since that is not an option, I waited to ask Megan if she was ready to face the parents when we got to the back elevators.  

She sighed, a nervous sigh, "Yeah, I'm ready."

"I'm not—there's something I have to do first," I'm so nervous, but not afraid of this.  

I kissed her on the lips.  "I love you, Megan."

She looked at me mute for a second almost surprised that I had said it.  I could see the happiness in her eyes; I'll have to capture that someday.

I hope she doesn't doubt that I meant it.  Because I do love her.  Thomas spotted it when Megan was sleeping over with Hannah and we were in the same room watching TV, he whispered, "You like her, I can tell."  Then he whispered that he "could also tell" that she liked me, too.  I don't picture myself being handsome and I suppose we all have our insecurities on our looks—but everyone is going to think she's the lucky one.  That is not true.  I am the lucky one.

Megan's POV

"I love you, too, Hunter."   We shared one more kiss before facing our folks.

     He told me he loved me!  I told Hunter to push the elevator button.  It was time.  Bring it on Eric and Donna, bring it on.


	2. Repercussions

Chapter 2

Repercussions

     Hannah was angry now that she was in the midst of her punishment. She was to be grounded for two months.  It didn't make her feel better that Hunter was grounded for four.  She knew it was wrong to say something was wrong with her Mother and she felt bad doing it soon after she called them from camp with her concocted lie.  Hunter and Megan?  Megan Forman? Her best friend?  Since when did they like each other?  She didn't know if she liked them together or not.  She couldn't talk to Megan as she was grounded for five months and she wasn't about to ask Hunter.  She sat on the sofa bored out of her skull.  They couldn't possibly love each other.  It was wrong on so many levels.  Her Mother was making lunch in the kitchen and her Father was at the only recording studio in town producing a record for an up and coming local band.  She almost couldn't wait for school to start at least she'd be out of this house although she was told as Hunter was that it was only school and no hanging out with school mates.  She felt cheated being grounded as it was only because of her brother and best friend that she was punished in the first place.

"Hannah, tell your brother lunch is ready."  Jackie said, she's become quite a good cook over the years; it's hard to believe that long ago she couldn't bake a simple pie!

"Yeah," She got up and slowly walked to Hunter's room, she knocked on the door sharply, "Lunch is ready."

He put his sketchpad down on the bed; he was just doing some random scribbles.  All he could think about was Megan and he hoped she was all right.  She was grounded for one month longer than him that was purely Sgt. Donna's handiwork; Eric never would have grounded her for that long.  

"I'll be there in a minute."  He said to the door.  

He missed her so much.  

"Hunter, I'm not running an all day lunch counter."  Jackie opened the door, dreading the day he was going to pack his bags and leave for good.

"I know.  I told the troll I'd be there in a minute."

"Don't call your sister a troll."  

"Mom, can I—"

"I know what you're going to ask, honey, and the answer is no."  

"Fine."  He replied coldly and went into the kitchen at his place at the table.

"Is Daddy coming home for lunch?"  Hannah asked when Jackie came into the kitchen.

"No, he's working through the whole day so he can be home tonight."  

Hunter wondered if he should even ask his Father since his Mother didn't even take the time to listen.

       Donna typed yet another article as Eric checked on Megan in her room.  She wasn't feeling well and had a small flu bug.  She hoped in her heart that she wasn't too harsh but it was the only way kids learn.  Eric, of course, disagreed with the five months and thought if Hyde and Jackie grounded Hunter for four that they should do the same.  She was going to have a big talk with her daughter soon. She should have done it much earlier, but she never thought 

Megan and Hunter would have those types of feelings for each other.  She didn't want to talk to her after they brought her back from New York because everything just would have been an argument she wanted to wait for 'normalcy' to come back before establishing a heart to heart with her.  She knew Eric was trying to get back on his daughter's good graces since this whole ordeal began.  Donna thought, they're the parents, shouldn't it be the other way around?  He always wanted to act like her 'best friend' and not her Father.

"Thanks for the juice, Dad."  

"You're welcome.  Megan---"

"No, Dad, I don't want to talk about Hunter with you or Mom.  I'm tired, I just want to go to sleep."

'I'm not your little girl anymore'

"Okay.  The doctor said you'll be yourself in a couple of days.  Love you, lollipop."  He kissed her warm forehead.

"Love you, too, Dad."  She actually was tired and could use a little nap.

Did he really mean it when he told her that he loved her?  It wasn't pity was it?  Megan took off her glasses and put them on the end table.  No Hunter was not that kind of person.  She left her hearing aid on just incase she got a phone call, one of their parents would have stop being so strict during this grounding period and it wasn't about to be her Mother.  And she didn't want to play on her Father's heartstrings because Donna might get angry with Eric and make him sleep on the sofa over it.  She didn't want her parents to argue over her.  Still, she wondered, as she let slumber take her, did Hunter really love her or was it something he just said To-Make-Her-Feel-Better? 

For Your Own Good

      Later that night

     Hunter waited for two things to happen before even thinking about approaching his Father.  For Hannah to be holed up in her room since she was grounded and for his Mother to be in her 'Diva Room' putting lotions and potions on her face.  He was afraid to approach him as he read an indie music industry (is that an oxymoron?) magazine in his leather chair.  

"Maybe, I should come back later?"  Hunter wasn't frightened of many things, but he was scared of his Father.  

Hyde was not an abusive Father, not at all; he just drew a hard line and expected his kids to treat him and Jackie with respect.  'Everyone' thought he and Jackie would be permissive parents  'Everyone' meant the Forman's.  They had to earn their permissiveness.  

"Come back, Hunter.  I didn't see you all day, except at dinner.  What's on your mind, son?"

"I had asked Mom a question earlier—well, I tried asking her a question earlier, but she said no before I could respond."  He put his hands in his pockets.

That sounded like Jackie.   He knew this had to be about Megan, but she should have at least listened to her son's question first before saying no.

"What's your question?"  Hyde asked, putting his magazine down

"I want to call Megan."

He knew it.

"There better be more, because you realize you are not even done with your punishment."

"Dad, I know," He hoped he didn't come off as sarcastic, "I want to know how she's doing."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"I knew you'd be this way—I wish you ignored the question like Mom," He started to turn away to go back to his room.

"Hunter, sit down—"

'Oh-oh'

"Why?"

"Because I should have had this talk with you after we brought your lying ass home from New York, so you better sit down because I have a lot to say."  

'F***'

"Okay, I'm sitting."  Hunter said

"I want you to answer this honestly.  Did you tell Megan that you loved her?"

"Why do you want to know that, Dad?"

"I don't have to explain my self to you.  And I'm not asking you twice."

Hunter swallowed.  "Yes."

"Did you mean it?"

Hunter stood up, why would his Father ask such a question? But then again he didn't have to explain himself to his kids, how utterly convenient.  

"Yes."

"I don't think you did."

"WHAT?!"  

"I think you two were caught up in a moment and Megan's a nice girl whom you shouldn't take advantage of."

"I DID NOT take advantage of Megan—she was quite willing---"

"Hunter, I'm not talking about that, but we'll get to it later.  That's not what I mean when I say Megan is a 'Nice Girl'—Megan is the type of young woman who probably only wants ONE lifelong love. Even though she's adopted she's just like her Father on that one.  Is it you?  You better think about it."

"Is this because she's handicapped?"

"Don't insult me, son."

"But it's perfectly okay for you to insult me?"  'Oops.  I shouldn't have said that out loud'

"Keep pushing me and I'll ground you for a year."

Hunter put his hands through his hair, it pissed him off that his Father had the better sideburns.

"I DO love her, I can't make you believe me, Dad."

"You two are only sixteen years old.  Do you know how many ups and downs your Mother and me had?  It took us a very long time to get married and have a family."

"I'm not you, I won't make those same mistakes."

"So, you're perfect now?"

"Why are you pushing for an argument?  When all I came here to ask you was if I could call Megan?"

"Okay, fine," Hyde sighed, "You want to call Megan, do it, but I'm going to be here—and I'm going to make sure Donna," He hoped Donna answered the phone, he didn't trust that Forman could stay on the punishment track, "—Or Forman is right in the room with her, too."  

Hyde had his cell phone on the table by his glasses and picked it up to dial.

"How long can we talk for?"

"I'm giving you five minutes."  He might have to make it ten because he didn't know what Megan was doing and if she had to wheel herself to another room that one or both of her parents were in.  "Hey, Donna, it's me.  Hunter wants to talk to Megan and I told him it was okay provided you are in the room with her.  Okay.  We'll wait."  Hyde handed the phone to his son.

"Hi, Megan.  How are you?"  Hunter asked 

She sneezed.  "H-hi.  I have a little cold."

"Bless you.  I hope you feel better.  I miss you."  He said nervously as his Father towered over him.

"I miss you, too."

"Who's there?"

"Mom."

"Oh.  I'm sorry I can't talk long, I just wanted to see how you were doing."  He couldn't say what he really wanted to with his Father right there.

"I'm glad you called, Hunter.  I hope you get to call again soon."

"Me too.  Bye, Megan.  I think Dad wants to talk to Donna."

"Bye---" 

Hunter watched his Father take the phone into the kitchen so he could talk to Donna in private.  How come he got to have privacy?

Damn the b******!  He planted the seed!  Now Donna would probably have a talk with Megan and plant the 'get over it' seed in her head, too.

He did LOVE her, he did.  Maybe sixteen-year-old love was different than OLDER PARENT LOVE.  Hunter sat on the coffee table and put his hands over his face.  It was an oil slick.  He was going to have to sneak some of his Mom's face stuff because he didn't want to break out.  

"How was your call?"  Hyde came back in the living room

"You were there.  I bet this call made you extremely happy."

"What?"

"You put doubts in my brain."

"Hunter, excuse me, but I did not put doubts in your brain.  If you have doubts, then you have your OWN doubts.  And do you know how much a rejection from you will HURT Megan?  That is what I was trying to explain to you.  You didn't EVEN THINK OF THAT when you two were stripping off each other's clothes and sneaking off to Tiffany's apartment."

"Yeah, well if our parents didn't freak out maybe we wouldn't be in this boat right now."

"How dare you turn the tables and try to blame us."

"Well, Dad, it's true—if everyone just left Megan and us alone—you want me to dump her don't you?  You'll take pleasure in it—"

"What in the Hell is going on in here? I could hear you guys from all the way down the hall."  Jackie came in wearing her silk robe her hair covered in a Turbie Twist.

"I do not take pleasure in other people's pain," Hyde said, well maybe when he was a smart ass kid, but not now and not with his children and Megan, whom he loved like one of his own, "I suggest you go to your room and spend some time thinking, maybe you'll be glad we grounded you."

'Damn, what if he's right?'  Hunter thought as he walked back to his room.

         Donna waited for Eric to be out of the house at one of his support group meetings, bless him for still attending those.  She poured two glasses of iced tea with a tiny dab of natural honey in it for Megan's throat and she put some apple slices in a bowl since she didn't eat much all day.  She couldn't avoid The Talk any longer.  Especially after Hunter's phone call, which probably had her drawing, hearts and "Megan Loves Hunter" doodles on her notebooks. She might have had a bit of a cold but that wasn't going to stop Donna from having this heart to heart with her daughter.  Donna carried the tray to her daughter's bedroom as Megan was looking at one of the old family photo albums.  

"How are you doing, Megan?"

"Fine, Mom."  She didn't look up.  It was a just a minor cold.  

"I thought we could talk for awhile since your Dad is out of the house."  Donna set the tray down on her desk.

"What do you want to talk about?"  She still didn't look up.

"I think you know."

Megan closed the photo album, she was looking at a picture of herself, Hannah, and Hunter when they were little kids on one of the many visits they had with each other's families.

"I already told Dad that the subject of Hunter is off limits."

Donna laughed, where did she get off saying that?

"Yeah, right.  And don't think of turning your hearing aid off, I know your games."  Donna put a glass of iced tea on her end table.

Megan sighed, her Mother was always more strict than her Father.  When she was little he'd take her out to look at the snow and when they came back it wasn't smiles and hot chocolate that greeted them.  It was something like, "Eric, what the Hell?  How could you take her out with only her hat and gloves on?"  It's not like they were outside for an hour.  She'd get yelled at for her part because when she got to be a certain AGE she KNEW how to dress for the weather and should know better than to listen to her Father's hair brained schemes.  Then after they got The Lecture they'd have the cocoa, but Donna wouldn't give Eric any marshmallows.  

"Mom, I know ALL about sex."  Courtesy of the Point Place School System.

"No, you don't know all about sex, when I was sixteen years old, I didn't know all about sex, so how can you?  You only learned about pregnancy and STD's in school. NO Megan, you don't know all about sex.  I know you and Hunter have known each other and have been friends for a very long time---"

"Mom!  He told me he loved me."

Donna mentally rolled her eyes, 'Great'.

"Do you know how many doubts I had about being with your Father?  You know

about our break up because your Father takes after his Mother's side of the family and can't let anything go.  ---"

"I'm not you, Mom.  Can't you be happy for me?"

"Happy?  Happy that we caught the both of you stripped down to almost nothing on the sofa?  Happy that you involved Hannah to lie about Jackie's health so we could give you and Hunter the perfect opportunity to go the bus station and go to Tiffany's apartment in NEW YORK CITY?  Happy that he told you he loved you?  No, I'm not."

Megan tried to hold back the tears especially on the last sentence.  "I believe him."

"You might be adopted but you are so much like your Father it is scary, you have this fairy tale view of romance that the first boy is the ONLY boy.  Your True Love, as it were.  Megan, you have a lot to learn, a lot of places to go and explore.  You shouldn't limit yourself.  Who knows?  Maybe in time you and Hunter will be meant to be.  I just don't want you to feel that while he is a comfortable friend, you still settled for in the romance department."

"Do you think YOU settled for Dad?"

"I love your Father very much.  But it took a long way to get to happiness.  I broke up with him when we were kids because he wanted me to wear his ring and we were about the same age as you and Hunter.  You think you are an adult now, but you're not, you're still kids—young adults."

"I told him I loved him back."  Why did she not want them together?

'Great, I'm sure you did'   "I want you think about your future.  You and Hunter didn't even officially go on a date yet.  I think the two of you need to get to know each other better before the two of you decide on anything."

"How can we when we're grounded?"  

"Nice try.  You and Hunter are still punished.  I believe we will all be spending Thanksgiving together—and NO you can't see him before that. When your grounding is over you can have your internet privileges back.  I don't want you to see me as a bitch.  I just love you very much and don't want to see either one of you get hurt."  Donna hugged her, but Megan didn't hug her Mother back.

"Okay.   You said what you had to say, can I go back to what I was doing before you interrupted me?"

"Fine.  And you don't have to be afraid to talk to me or your Father, we both love you."

'Yeah, yeah, yeah, go away.'  "I know."

Donna left the room as Megan went to the end of the photo album.  This was the one her Father put together because they weren't in chronological order.  Which was odd considering he worked with numbers and statistics for a living.  Hannah took the picture of her and Hunter when she slept over not that long ago.  He was so cute. He was proud of the flea market find his Mother made for him and he wore his 'new' white button down shirt with thick blue vertical stripes.

He told her he loved her and he wouldn't have said it if he didn't mean it.  Hunter was not a young man of false pretense.  He was genuine like his Father.

He wouldn't have told her that he loved her if he didn't mean it.  That's all there was to it.

       Hunter's dream

          Hunter and Megan were at the movies, but there was no film on the screen, it was silver.  They were the only ones in the whole theatre.  

"I love you, Hunter."  Megan said

Hunter did not reply.

"Hunter," Megan turned her head, "I told you--I love you."

No reply.

Megan started to cry, "Don't you love me anymore?  Were you just lying to me?"  

She pushed him with all the strength she had in her arms, but he still wouldn't budge.

"Hunter—I thought you loved me?"

No reply.  Megan was getting frustrated.

"Say something---"

~End dream~

That's when Hunter quickly opened his eyes.  He looked at the clock on the end table in his room. It was 2:15AM.  He meant what he said. He wasn't a liar.  He loved Megan.  He sighed and held on to his pillows tight.  He couldn't wait to see her again.  He wanted to prove his parents and hers that they were wrong.  That they were in love.  

Was she? Was he?  Were they?  Were they really In Love?


	3. Of Course They Didn't Tell You

Chapter 3

Of Course They Didn't Tell You

     There was only one place Megan could go while she grounded and that was to the hospital and/or doctor's offices for her check ups and/or workshops.  The secretary in the front was a nice young woman named Juliet who was also paralyzed from the waist down but not because she was born to a drug infested Mother but because a drunk driver plowed into her car at 95MPH.  Donna got Megan settled but had to make a quick stop in town to meet with one of her editor's at the newspaper.  The doctor was running late and Megan was the only patient in the waiting room.  She wheeled herself to Juliet's desk for a Jolly Rancher that she kept in glass jar in the shape of a Christmas tree.  

"Sure—feel free."  She took a green apple candy.

Megan noticed the pictures on her desk, "Juliet, I didn't know that you had a boyfriend."

He didn't look like there was anything different about him.  

"Yeah, we've been dating for two years."

"Since my Mom is gone and the doctor isn't here yet, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Megan, what's on your mind?"

"I—this is hard to talk about---"

Juliet looked at her, she was such a sweet girl, she's known her for the three years she's worked in this office.  

"Do you have a boyfriend, Megan?"

"Yeah," Well they weren't an official couple, but Hunter was a boy and he was her friend and he told her he loved her, so yeah, "Um—I can't go on the internet, my parents took it away, because I'm grounded—so I can't research anything---"

"I know what you want to know—When you are off your groundation, I want you to find a book called "Enabling Romance"—I used to have a copy but I gave it a way."

"Do YOU feel—pleasure?"  She was embarrassed and put her head down.  

"Don't be embarrassed, Megan, I can't believe your Mother at least didn't tell you.  

Yes, you can."  

"I thought the intercourse would just be for his physical benefit."

"Not at all."

Megan smiled.  "We almost 'Did It' but our parents caught us and that's why the both of us are grounded."  She didn't bother to tell Juliet about their little bus trip to New York City.

"How did you feel?"  Juliet felt like a psuedo therapist but she wanted Megan to leave this office confident.  Especially if she had parents that wanted to sweep her sexuality under the carpet.  It happens all the time.  All they see is "Wheelchair" even if they don't mean to.

"Good—Although, I felt like I was going to—um—have an accident."

"That's normal.  It's happened to me a lot, sweetie, and it's nothing to be ashamed of.  I want you to get your hands on that book and buy your boyfriend a copy."

"I can't put Hunter—Oops, I didn't mean to say his name—through all this.  I don't want to be a burden."

"Megan, you're not a burden.  Sure our sex might be a little bit more complicated, and you might be too young to realize it now, but the foreplay is amazing and the end of the journey satisfying.  I don't suppose you can talk to your parents about this?"

"God no, Juliet!  My Mom told me I know nothing about sex and my Dad would probably prefer it if I never did it."

"As long as you have a very loving and supportive partner, that's all that matters."

Megan smiled.  This was the kind of talk that she needed.  Not the parental cr** that she had to deal with.

"Thanks, Juliet," Megan looked at the clock, her Mother should be back soon, "I needed to talk to someone about this, outside of my family, because even though I love them, and they love me, they DON'T understand a lot of my issues."

"You're welcome. And I know what you mean, Megan.  While my paralysis came later. I still have to put up with my family.  Keep in mind that most families are just well meaning."

"Well, I wish mine weren't so well meaning."  Megan wheeled herself back to the table with the old magazines on it.  

She couldn't wait to be with Hunter again, she hoped he would be that loving and supportive partner.  Still it was a great deal of pressure to put on a sixteen-year-old boy.  Suddenly she felt relief wash over her soul that they were caught before they had a chance to have intercourse.

How could she ask Hunter to throw all of his life and future away by choosing The Cripple?  (Author's note-her thought)   The smile vanished from her face as she grabbed a magazine off the table and pretended to be interested in "101 Fashion Tips".   How could she ask him to make that sacrifice for her?  

         Next Day

     Eric threw all of the paper junk mail in the garbage, damn Hyde putting him

on the mailing list for certain pharmaceutical products!  Of course it was funny and he wished he thought of it.  He opened up the fridge and was looking forward to the last piece of lemon cake; so naturally, either Donna or Megan ate it!  He didn't feel like eating the celery and carrot sticks that Donna always purchased.  He wasn't a mouse.  Donna came in holding a blue and white envelope.

"Donna, my love, did you eat the last piece of lemon cake?"

"Aww—is Eric going to have a tantrum because there's no more cake left?"  Donna did a baby voice

"I hope you enjoyed it! You knew I wanted the last piece."

"Thanks, I did, actually.  Have a celery stick if you are hungry."

"Well we better not be out of peanut butter," He went to the cupboard to check, he made a face as he noticed the only kind they had in the house was the natural, organic cr**** kind.  "We need to go food shopping this week.   What's in the envelope?"

"Glad you finally noticed.  This ought to make Megan's day."

"What?"

"We're invited to Hyde and Jackie's."

"What's the official invitation?"

"The salon association that Jackie belongs to is honoring her because she's the top seller in their region, and we're invited. It's next Saturday.  I suppose we can suspend her grounding for one day.  I think that's enough peanut butter, Eric."

"This isn't Jif, this is your health food store organic cr**. It's not real peanut butter."  Eric whined

"Well, take your celery with you, let's tell Megan now, I bet seeing Hunter again will make her very happy."

Although Eric did have some slight issues with Hyde's son, no Father wants to see his daughter half naked on the living room sofa with their best friend's son on top of her.  He knew this news would make his daughter pleased.

Donna and Jackie agreed on the telephone that since all of the parents were going to be there, there was no reason why they couldn't attend the party for Jackie. Who wanted everyone she cared about there while she got her plaque.

Megan was in her room lying on her bed.  Juliet had come by to visit her this morning while her Father was upstairs in the shower and her Mother was at the bank.  She came across a paperback copy of "Enabling Romance" put a paper cover around it so no one would know what she was reading and had to rush it over to her house to give it to her.  It should've made Megan blissful, but with the turn of each page it made her feel like s***.  She heard her parents walking down the ramp, 'oh great, a tag team lecture' and she quickly put the book in the pile of books that she had on her end table.  It blended in perfectly.  

"Hey, lollipop, what'cha doin'?"  Eric asked

"Nothing since I'm grounded."

"That's what we're here to discuss."  Donna said

"What is it?"  

"Your lucky day—Jackie is getting an award for her business and we're invited to the party. Your Father and I decided to suspend your grounding for one day."

She felt her heart break.  "That's nice."  'No.  You can't do this to me!'

"Is that all?"  Eric asked, he was expecting her to be squealing with delight.  But she wasn't.

"Yeah.  That's nice."  She knew she couldn't ask to stay home, because they would have tried desperately to talk the truth out of her.

"Are you okay?"  Donna asked

"I'm fine.  I'd like to finish my summer reading now."  Her school assigned her class three books to read over the summer.  She was reading Harper Lee's, "To Kill A Mockingbird".

"Sure.  Lunch will be in an hour."  Donna kissed her on the cheek.

"Are you sure you're okay?"  Eric asked, he smelled like peanut butter.

"Yeah, Dad.  I'm okay."  

She waited for both of her parents to be safely back upstairs before she let the tears flow down her cheeks.  She had to hurt him in person.

       It's Jackie's Party And Megan Will Cry If She Wants To

      It was one o'clock in the afternoon when Hyde caught Hunter in his closet again.  

"You know, I'm going to start putting a lock on it."  Hyde laughed, his son had very good taste, but he wanted ALL of his shirts.

"Can I wear this tonight?"  Hunter held up a mint green button down shirt.

"Borrow—"

"Yeah, can I borrow this to wear tonight to Mom's party?"

"Sure.  And borrow means to put it back when you're done with it."

"Don't you want it dry cleaned first?"

"So it could stay in your closet?  No, Hunter, your Mom takes care of that stuff.  Is she still throwing shoes around in her 'Diva Room'?"

"I don't know, I'm not going in there."  Hunter couldn't wait to see Megan again; it was their first face-to-face contact since their New York City Disaster.

"Wise son, very wise.  She won't be ready until the very last minute."

"I heard that, Steven!"  Jackie came in the room.

"Did you find the shoes you wanted to wear, Mom?"  Hunter had to ask, she was an amazing woman to watch.

"No!  A pair of five hundred dollar shoes just doesn't get up and walk away.  Pardon the pun."  Jackie opened the door to her side of the closet.

Hyde raised his eyebrow, how could Jackie spend five hundred dollars on a pair of shoes?  Still he couldn't complain too much, she always looked beautiful, but

the money that she threw away on clothes, make up, jewelry, shoes, and other accessories could easily wipe out the National Debt!  No wonder she was being honored tonight, she had no trouble making other women think they needed expensive products and salon services.  She was a capitalist.  But a sexy capitalist who looked beautiful in just his rock t-shirts and nothing else.

"Maybe, Hannah BORROWED them."  Hunter said

"You might be right," Jackie emerged from the closet and kissed her son on the cheek, "You're going to look handsome in that shirt tonight—Steven make sure he wears a tie."

"A tie?"  Hunter moaned

"And you too, Steven, you're both wearing ties! End of discussion."  Jackie went to Hannah's room to see if she had her Manolo's.

"Do I have to wear a tie, Dad?"

"If I have to wear a tie, son, so do you.  I don't want to sleep on the couch tonight."

"You could've always said 'no' to Mom."  He hated wearing ties.

Hyde laughed, "Yeah, right, Hunter—you have a lot to learn."

Hunter slightly smiled; he couldn't wait to see Megan again.  For her, he'd wear the tie; maybe that's what it was all about—To do all these little things like wear stupid ties for them.

       Megan spent the whole plane ride thinking of how she was going to avoid Hunter.  It broke her spirit.  In her dreams, she pictured them running towards each other and kiss each other passionately until they wound up in a beautiful rhythm on the sandy beach.  She loved him so much.  But she had to build her defenses up.  It was for the best.  Hunter Hyde deserved better than her.  Megan "The Cripple" Forman.  She kept her nose buried in her copy of "To Kill A Mockingbird" and by the time they got to Hyde and Jackie's cottage she finished the book, but she couldn't remember a word she had read.  It meant nothing to her; she just wanted to be back in her bedroom in Point Place wishing she didn't feel anything for Hunter good or bad.  Megan usually had a bright, cheery, optimistic outlook on life, but when it came to matters of the heart, all she saw was 'freak'. She hoped he wasn't home but she did have a plan to avoid him for as long as she could.  You couldn't make a fast getaway in a wheelchair but as soon as Jackie scooped Donna in to critique her choice of evening clothes, Megan who wasn't in the house yet, was able to wheel herself to the side of the house as soon as her Father started to talk to Hyde.  She didn't know how long she could stay here but she needed to avoid Hunter until they were all at Jackie's award ceremony/party then she'd be around all the parents—and Hannah.  She never gave Hannah much thought.  It sounded cruel; she didn't mean it to be.  Some times best friends grow apart.  It happens.  She wanted to cry so bad but couldn't with everyone in close proximity.  

"Hey, Megan, what are you doing back here?"   She knew that voice.

Megan's POV

      I don't want to see him.  Why couldn't I have been born blind?  Hunter kissed me gently on the cheek.  I looked at him.  He was out of his fashion element but still looked very handsome in his black suit and tie.  His collar was bothering him.  I tried to pretend he didn't exist.  Now came the hard part.  The most difficult thing I didn't want to but I felt that I had to do.  I had to break his heart.  

"Leave me alone, Hunter."

He seemed shocked at first, "What's wrong, Megan?"

I wished I could tell him everything.  "I lied when I told you I loved you back.  I guess the moral here is that just because that I'm in a wheelchair doesn't mean I can't be a total bitch."  

That was not me.  Not at all.  I don't know where it came from.  I love him so much.   I turned my chair around and proceeded to go into the house.  I had to get my dress put on for the party.  I hated hurting him like that.  

He's better off with without me.

       Hunter was frozen on the spot.  He couldn't bring himself to cry when he wasn't in the safety of his own room.  He felt a hand go on his shoulder.  He turned around nearly jumping out of his skin.

"Sorry about that."  Hyde said

"Dad—how long have you been---never mind."

"She didn't mean a word she said.  For some reason Megan put up a wall with you."

"Why?"  Hunter was surprised that he needed a hug from his Father, there was something solid about him, and no wonder his Mother loved getting held by him.

"I don't know, son.  Give her time."

"I love her, I really do---"

"I know, Hunter."

It was the first time that Steven Hyde believed his son's feelings for Megan.  

       "Did you and Hunter have a fight?"  Jackie asked as she helped Megan with her eye shadow.

"No, Jackie, we just decided maybe we shouldn't date each other.  That ought to make all of you adults happy."

Donna didn't get why she would give Hunter the cold shoulder treatment?  After all that was spoken, what they walked in on them about to do, and their little trip to Tiffany's apartment you would think they'd be inseparable.  

"Is there something that you'd like to tell us?"  Donna asked

"No."

"Go easy on the blush, Jackie."

"Mom!  I'm sixteen. Let Jackie do my make up, she knows more about it than you do.  Isn't that why we're here?"

Donna was going to let that statement go due to her daughter's broken heart, however if she said anything out of line again she would be grounded until her eighteenth birthday.  And Sgt. Donna would do it too.

     The Party

      Hyde thought that was an hour of his life he wouldn't get back.  They went on and on about absolutely nothing before presenting Jackie with her plaque.  She looked so beautiful and graceful with her hair up and wearing a long red sequined dress with a thigh slit.  She found her matching red stiletto's they were in Hannah's room.  He took a picture that was his job whenever he had to go to one of these 'dos.  The tension between the kids was predictably so thick you did need a knife.  Hunter and Megan were going through a rough patch, Hannah was angry at Megan because Megan wasn't her friend anymore, Tiffany really didn't want to be here but promised Jackie that she would if it meant "that much" to her.  Eric actually wanted to dance with Donna and joined Jackie and Hyde on the dance floor.  Hannah picked at her shrimp cocktail.  Hunter went inward before getting up and ducking for cover in the men's room.  

"How could you hurt my brother like that?"

"Shut up, Hannah.  I don't need you as my friend anymore.  I don't need anyone for anything."  

She made her getaway; maybe she could park herself in the lot and hope someone in a limousine would run her over.

"Nice one.  Still as lame as ever."  Tiffany replied, checking her voice mail on her cell phone.

"Shut up, Tiffany."

"Same as ever."  She hoped her brother and Megan would be all right.

           Megan found an empty lounge area and put her break on.  Now she could cry.  She went to the ceremony and party for Jackie, she got rid of Hannah, and what hurt her soul the most was dumping Hunter before they even began.  She wished her heart were paralyzed that way she wouldn't have to feel it break.

"Do you fancy company?"  Hyde noticed her wheel herself in here and asked Forman and Donna if he could talk to her.

"Not really, Hyde."  She wiped her eyes

He took a sip of his beer and put the bottle on the table.  

"I heard what you told Hunter earlier.  I wasn't eavesdropping; I just went outside and heard the two of you.  Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"You see I understand part of what you're going through.  I had walls my whole life.  It took me a very long time to accept the fact that I deserved love.  Because my parents abandoned me and I felt inferior for a very long time.  But I covered it with Zen and coolness.  You and Hunter have known each other since you were babies. As I told Hunter about himself I will also tell you, YOU DON'T NEED ANY WALLS. I don't believe for a second that you don't love my son.  It's all over your face, Megan."

"I CAN'T love him, Hyde."

"Why not?  If it's because you think all of us 'old folks' don't support you—you've got it wrong.  We do.  We just don't like how you guys went about things."

"It's not about you guys.  He deserves better than me.  He's sixteen years old; does he really want to spend all of his life with a cripple?  What can I give him?"  Megan turned around to get a paper cup of water from the cooler that was next to the end table

"You can give him hope."  Hunter said in the third person.

'Dirty f***ing trick, Hyde'   She massacred the paper cup after she gulped down the water.

"Go away, Hunter."

"No!"  If she didn't turn her chair around, he made sure to face her.  

"I have nothing to say to you."

"What's this nonsense of I can do better than you?"

"If you really want to know so bad, open my knapsack.  Then leave me alone."

""To Kill A Mockingbird"?"

"No, the other book."

Hunter took the brown paper covered book out of her bag and read the title out loud, "Enabling Romance—A guide to love, sex, and relationship for those with disabilities.  And the people who care about them."

"I don't get it."

"And you won't with the freak of Point Place.  I'm a goddamn cripple.  I can't see without my glasses and my hearing sucks without my hearing aid, you'd think I was ninety years old instead of sixteen. I'm glad they caught us, because it would have been a terrible mistake.  I refuse to have you throw your life away on me, Hunter.  You deserve so much better than me."

"Okay," He bent down

"What are you doing?"

He kissed her.  She kissed him in return, caressing his back and putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Now tell me again that I'm throwing my life away. I love you, Megan Forman.  And I'm not going anywhere because that kiss tells me you want me, you want us.  Can I borrow this book?"

"Yes, read it—Can we just be friends for now?  You look very handsome in your suit."

"We'll always be friends. And thanks.  You're beautiful, too."

She smiled.  "You have to put that book back in my knapsack.  Mom and Dad don't know about it. I'll give it to you later."

"Okay, can I have one more kiss?"

"I'd like that, Hunter."

They shared an intimate kiss before breaking it off.

"By the way, Megan, you are NOT a goddamn cripple nor a freak."

"I love you, too, Hunter.  I lied when I said I didn't.  I'm sorry about that.  I just thought---"  
  
"Ssh," He kissed her on the cheek and put his hands on her wheelchair handles, "I don't care if this is motorized, I still like taking you out for a stroll."

"Will you be patient with me, Hunter?"  Megan asked as she undid the break.

"For as long as it takes.  Now come on, let's get something to eat, since neither one of us ate much of anything tonight."

"I wish I could dance with you."  Megan said as they rejoined everyone back at the table.

"Me too."  And he hated to dance.

Hunter smiled at his Father to indicate that at least he and Megan were 'on terms' again.

"How are you, lollipop?"  Eric asked, they were gone for an awful long time.

"Okay, Dad."

"I'll go the bar—" Hunter started to say

Hyde coughed.

"For a soda, Dad.  What do you want to drink, Megan?"

"Water."

"I'll be back."

"Mom your plaque is beautiful."  Hannah added, she couldn't stand Megan anymore.   What a snot she became.

"Thank you.  Steven---don't you dare think of taking that tie off, the party isn't over yet."

"Whipped like the family pig."  Donna said

"I need a glass of wine."  Tiffany got up; there was something about Donna that irked her.  

"So the next time you say that to me, you should look in a mirror."  Eric said

"Why don't you get bent, Forman?"

Megan laughed.  

"Are you hungry? I told the staff to keep the food warm for the both of you."  Jackie asked, flagging down the waiter.

"Yeah."   

Hunter came back with the bottled water for Megan and the can of soda for himself.

Donna whispered something to Eric, who in turn whispered something to Jackie,

who in turn whispered it to Hyde, who whispered it to Hannah, who had to be slightly poked in the arm to get up from her chair.  

"Why did they all leave?"  Megan asked, stirring her mashed potatoes nervously.

"I think they wanted us to have a date.  But it's not a date until I ask you out properly.  And you just want to be friends—so—hmm, what do we do, Megan?"

He cut the chicken, he saw pink, and decided to just eat the potatoes instead.

"We can have a friends date."  Megan said

"Okay, a friends date—I'm still grounded you know."

"So am I.  Mom mentioned something about Thanksgiving."

"That's a million years away!"  He exaggerated

"Hunter—"

"Yeah, Megan?"

"For as long as it takes?"   She gently reminded him of what they were talking about earlier.  He put his hand over hers.

"I'll always be there for you, Megan, don't you ever doubt that anymore, okay?"

While she was still unsure of herself as someone who could be a complete and total romantic intimate person.  She didn't doubt Hunter's words for a second. He was a 'For Keeps' kind of young man it scared and delighted her all at the same time.  

"I'm sorry I hurt you earlier—"

"Don't worry about it.  We're okay now."

"Are they looking at us?"

He looked up, "Yeah, but they're trying to act like they aren't."

"Figures."

Hunter looked at Megan and saw the future; he hoped that she saw a future with him in it as more than just a friend.  

"You know something---"  

"What is it, Hunter?"

"I don't know if this will make a difference or not, but I wasn't sure—I had doubts too—it had NOTHING to do with your handicaps, I swear.  But when I found out you were coming for a visit, I was happy, and I even put on this stupid tie for you—and when you didn't want to be with me—I knew I couldn't be without you.  I probably just made you even more insecure---I'm sorry."  

Hunter was not a talkative soul but Megan was the only person he could truly converse with.

"No, you didn't.  And I'm glad you had doubts, too," She held up her water bottle as she waited for him to hold up his soda can for a toast, "To friendship—may we never lose our core."

He smiled, "To friendship."  They clicked

"Can we go back to the table now?"  said Eric, he wondered what they were talking about.  She was growing up too fast, it was hard to believe she was sixteen and dealing with boy-girl issues when it just seemed like yesterday that she was a sweet TINY baby girl clinging for dear life in St. Louis.

"No, we're going to let them eat dinner together."  Donna replied, stirring her daiquiri with the small straw.

"What did you say to Megan, Steven?"  asked Jackie

"That's between Megan and I.  Let's give them some privacy."

"They're still grounded."  Donna reminded

"Yeah but we suspended that for one day, did we not?  I'll take Hannah home, she's sulking somewhere."  Hyde said looking at Eric

"All right, I'll come for the ride," Eric gave Donna the keys to the rental van

"Come on, Jackie, I want to change out of this dress, then we'll come back after a coffee and pick up Megan and Hunter."

"Okay," Jackie thought somewhere through the course of the evening the moment wasn't about her and her little plaque anymore, it was about Megan and her beautiful son, "I'll tell the kids."

     Later

     Hunter and Megan were waiting inside by the front doors waiting for Donna and Jackie to come pick them up.  He was supposed to get his learner's permit this summer but they took that away along with his artist camp as another part of his punishment.  He sat on the floor reading Megan's book. He unbuttoned the first three buttons on his (his Dad's) shirt. and put his tie in his blazer pocket, which was on the floor.  

"Is it grossing you out yet, Hunter?"

He looked up at her, "No.—It's different yeah, but it doesn't gross me out.  Sorry Megan, you'll have to find another excuse to get rid of me."

Megan saw the lights shine in the parking lot indicating that Jackie and Donna were back. Donna beeped the horn.

"They're back."  

Hunter closed the book quickly and put it back in her knapsack.  He put his blazer back on.

"Kids—we don't have all night."  They heard Jackie's voice through the closed door.

"I wish we did have all night," Hunter kissed her neck, "and that wasn't a friendship kiss Megan, so there."

She smiled as he opened the door for her and pushed her chair for her as they strolled to the van.

"Did you two have a nice evening?"  asked Donna

"Yes."  They responded in unison.

"Oh, Hunter, your jacket is all wrinkled."  Jackie stated.  The second thing Steven did when he got home was take off his tie, the first thing he did was to grab another beer.

"Isn't that what God made irons for?"

Megan laughed.  He wanted her.  He couldn't be without her.  It seemed like it should have been a dream, but it was real.  Hunter Hyde wanted HER.  Just as much as she wanted HIM. 

"Mom, can we talk later?"  Megan asked

Donna was almost taken aback.  Megan never wanted to talk one on one with her on purpose anymore.

"Sure, sweetie."

During the whole ride back to Jackie and Hyde's, Hunter held Megan's hand the entire way.  She better get used to him loving her because he wasn't going away.  

Not now.  Not ever.

  
  



	4. Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer

Chapter 4

Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer

Megan_Forman123:  Finally!  I thought Dad would have relented a couple of times, but Mom wouldn't budge.

HydeNSeek:  They don't budge.  You'd think Mr. Cool who wears his sunglasses inside the house would—but no—they made us stay grounded the whole time.  Except for that one night.   I'd do this over the telephone but Hannah won't get off the damn thing—Megan, my school is having a Thanksgiving---

Megan_Forman123: At least your father isn't 56 years old still obsessing over Star Wars!  Are you trying to say dance, Hunter?

HydeNSeek:  Yes.  It's the day before Thanksgiving would you like to go with me?  I'll wear groan a tie, if I have to.

Megan_Forman123:  Yes, I'll go.  You don't to have to wear a tie, if you don't want to.

HydeNSeek:  Thank you, I won't then.  I have to look for a job after the holiday—They made Tiffany work when she was my age, actually younger because of her rebellion.  It's going to stink.  I'd like to work two towns over at the art studio but they aren't hiring and I don't have my license yet.

Megan_Forman123:  I have to get a job, too.  Mom and Dad say it'll keep me out of trouble.  

HydeNSeek:  I hate to cut this short, but my Dad is yelling at me to get off the computer.  Love you, Megan.

Megan_Forman123:  That's okay.  Mom said I could only stay on for forty-five minutes anyway.  [Damn her].  Love you, too, Hunter.  

    Next day

     Donna was excited for her daughter.  This was the first dance she was invited to.  Her school had them twice a year, a Frosty Frolics and a Spring Fling but she never went.  "Because I was never asked Mom—".  Megan said she was 'okay' with the fact that she would probably be the only one at Hunter's school dance in a wheelchair, she didn't mind it because she'd be with Hunter and even if they couldn't dance they'd still have a good time.  They had gotten closer since they returned from Pennsylvania the last time they visited Jackie and Hyde.  She was always her Father's sweetheart.  But as Megan said many nights over tea and cake when Eric was out of the house either at his support group meetings or meeting with a business client that she could never talk to her Dad about this! Donna agreed—Eric was going to have a difficult time letting go.  He would probably be worse than when Kitty had tried in vain to make her apron strings uncuttable when he was becoming a young man.  Megan found the dress she wanted.  It was a dark green knee length dress with a bow in the back that Donna was going to get cut off and made into a hair decoration for her.  

'Take that, Jackie, you aren't the only one who knows about fashion and other girly things!'  

"I'll need shoes."  Megan hoped that her Mother wouldn't be stingy.

"I know. ---"

"And a heel.  I don't have to worry about walking in them."

Megan never wore heels before even Donna had a hard time accepting that one.  But she would buy them for her, if that's what she wanted, as long as they were reasonable in the price and the height.  

"All-right.  How about we get lunch first?"

"Sure, Mom—does Dad know about the dance yet?"

"No, I'll tell him soon, don't worry about it."

"I don't think he cares for Hunter much anymore since our sofa incident."  Even though Eric was nice to him at Jackie's party—he probably just didn't want to ruffle Hyde's feathers.  

'That was a good way to describe it' Donna thought

"Don't worry about your Father, I know how to handle him."

"How? By taking away his Star Wars toys—no collectibles?"

Donna laughed, "Your first description was right."

"When I get a job, I'll buy YOU lunch."

"Thank you, Megan," Donna kissed the top of her head, "I appreciate that."

           Same Tree, Different Leaf

     Hyde was going to kill his son.  Not literally of course.  The boy was in HIS room again.  Hyde didn't care if he was going be wearing a paper hat asking people if they "wanted French fries with that" his son was getting a job.  

"Hunter, you better not be in my closet!"

"I'm not, Dad.  You have the big mirror."

"Well, you can thank your Mother for that."  She had an even bigger mirror in her 'Diva Room' but no one was allowed in that room unless they wanted their head bit off by a tiny crazy middle-aged woman.

Hunter was trying on his black, mandarin collared jacket, similar to the Beatles 1965 Shea Stadium/1966 Candlestick Park concert ones.  He found this at the school sale for only ten bucks!  To think someone had this cool, awesome jacket and figured they'd donate it to the school clothing drive as if it were junk.  He was going to wear it open with a stunning shirt.  He was going to wear one of the ones his Father gave him, it was a burnt orange color.  

"That's a little big on you."  Hyde observed from the doorway

"I know, I'll have Mom take it to the tailor's for me."

"Is that your jacket for the dance?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to wear it with?"

"The burnt orange shirt you gave me last year, my black pants, and my dress shoes. —and best of all—No tie."

While he wasn't overt about it he was just like his Mother when it came to planning an outfit, especially for a formal occasion.

Hyde laughed.  "You have a very interesting eye for fashion."  He never thought he'd be saying that to his own son.

"Thanks, Dad.  Megan won't tell me about her dress she wants it to be a surprise, but I already know she's going to be beautiful in it."

Hyde would not be surprised if those two didn't get married someday.  

"I came in here to get my money off the dresser, Hannah wants to go to the mall and since your Mom's at work, we're just going to grab a bite to eat in the food court.  Do you want to come?"

"No, I'll get some leftovers out of the fridge."

"And to talk to Megan on the computer."  Hyde smiled as he left the room.

"That too."  Hunter replied quietly under his breath.

Hyde knew it was only a matter of time—Hunter was definitely going to propose to Megan he could tell.    He just hoped it wouldn't be for a few more years yet.

At least.

        "You aren't angry, Dad?"  Megan asked Eric while they were on the airplane to Pennsylvania.  They left a day early so Megan could attend Hunter's dance.

Eric put down the in-flight magazine on his lap and looked at his daughter.  

"No, lollipop.  Why would I be angry?  You go to the dance and have fun."  He said something similar to her after Donna talked to him, but he didn't seem all that enthusiastic. 

He liked Hunter; he just thought this progressing a little too fast for his tastes. He was grateful that they lived too far away for everyday interaction.  Absence might make the heart grow fonder, but Eric could 'feel' HIS heart attack coming on at the thought of his 'baby' leaving the nest.

       Hannah wasn't going to go to the dance because she didn't have a boyfriend, but Jackie told her it was no good stewing at home over it when she

could go out with her friends.  She didn't know if her Mother meant "Megan" when she said friends.  But she didn't want to sit at a table with her former best friend and watch her and her brother make googly eyes at each other all night.  She did get a new dress out of the deal but she still didn't want to attend the darn thing and wished she developed a cold because the Forman's were staying for a goddamn week and Tiffany was going to be here for a few days too.  It was going to be the worst Thanksgiving ever.  She got dressed in her Mother's 'Diva Room' because Jackie was going to help her put her face on.  And to make matters worse she had to drive them because she had her learner's permit.  

"You could also try to smile, Hannah."  Jackie put some sparkle gel in her hair.  

"I don't really want to go Mom.  All my friends have dates and I don't—and Megan and I are no longer friends—but I'll go."

"Maybe you and Megan can talk to each other tonight?  Sort through your problems?"

"What's to sort through, Mom?  She ignored me the moment she fell over for Hunter, or the most someone could fall over for someone in a wheelchair."

"Hannah!  That's not a nice thing to say."

"Sorry but Megan is not one of my favorite people right now."

Jackie did have her silent reservations about Megan and Hunter as a couple.  She didn't tell anyone (i.e. Eric and Donna) because they'd think it was a slur against her handicaps and it wasn't.  Steven was the man for her but only after her experiences with Michael.  To think she lost him way back in the day.  The only good thing about Brad was that it made Tiffany possible.  She just didn't want her son to limit himself.   But she knew he loved Megan.  As long as they were happy she would do her best to be supportive because she never wanted her family to get torn to shreds like they almost were a few years ago when Tiffany was in the midst of her rebellious streak.

"I don't want YOU causing trouble for them tonight."  Jackie put some white eye shadow below her brow bone to accentuate her eyes.

"I won't."  'Geez, give it a rest, Mother'.

       "I don't know why I'm nervous, Dad."  Hunter was about to exit the master bedroom when Hyde gently pushed him back in.

"Megan's not ready yet.  And it's perfectly natural to be nervous."

"I don't have a zit on my forehead, do I?"  Hunter looked in the mirror

"Son, you look fine."

"What about the orchid--?"

"It's in the refrigerator.  Stay calm, Hunter."  For a brief moment he thought, 'Should he'?  Then his better judgment kicked in.

"I bet she's extra beautiful tonight---"

Hyde smiled as he watched his son be all happy and excited over his first school dance.  His son always thought dances were stupid and corporate.  It's always different when you find the right girl to go with.  You'll DO anything for that love.  Even if meant helping out at the Girl Scout alumni breakfast or holding your Wife's purse in the boutiques while she tried on yet another expensive (yet, sexy) 

piece of cashmere.

     Donna put Megan's hair in a fancy curled ponytail and fastened it with an elastic band before putting the custom made dress barrette over it.  She looked so beautiful in a way that Donna never noticed before.  She was more grown up than even a few months ago when they all attended Jackie's party.

"You look absolutely stunning, Megan."

"Thank you.  Are you crying, Mom?"

"No," She lied, as she wiped the corners of her eyes.  "Let's go out and show your Dad.   I told him to have the camera waiting."

"Dad---"

"Eric---"

They appeared from the bathroom and went into the living room.

"Megan," Eric almost dropped the camera, "You're very beautiful."  He kissed her on the cheek

"Don't take a picture until Hunter comes in the room."

"Don't worry, lollipop, I have lots of film and so does Hyde."

His eyes were watered over but like Donna he too denied it.  She wasn't his lollipop anymore.

     Hyde gave Hunter the clear plastic box containing the orchid so he could take a picture of him giving it to her.  Hunter's breath was taken away when he saw Megan in her new dress.  She was the most beautiful woman he ever saw in his life.  He did not see the wheels for they didn't define who she was. 

"H-hi, Megan, you look nice."  Jackie appeared, followed by a grumpy Hannah.

"So do you, Hunter."

Hyde tapped him the shoulder, "Oh, I got this for you."   He nervously opened the clear plastic box and took out the wrist corsage.

"It's beautiful, Hunter, thank you."   She replied as he put it on her.

He gently kissed her on the lips, despite everyone in the world being in the room.

     While Donna and Hyde were in the stables and ought to know better; Jackie and Eric were in the kitchen having tea and pie.

"I wonder how the dance is going?"  Eric asked, this pie was almost as good as Kitty's; he missed his Mother so much.

"Me too.  I can't believe how fast they are growing up.  Hunter's going to get a job after the Thanksgiving holiday."

"So is Megan.  I told Donna I don't see why she can't just work for me or her as a little assistant, but Donna wants her exposed to more outside people."

"Hannah is supposed to have job gift wrapping at the mall—but I don't see her as the kind of teenager that wants to work—after all I didn't get the job at the cheese shop until I had to."

"You looked cute in your uniform."  Eric admitted

"Thanks, Eric, but that Pricemart smock made you look dowdy."

"That's nice, yeah.  How long are the fog twins going to be out there?"

Jackie laughed, "I don't know.  But I can't wait to see Tiffany tomorrow; she doesn't visit often enough for my taste!  Try to find out if she has a boyfriend because she won't tell me anything."

Eric nodded as he finished his tea.  It did have clover honey in it.

      Megan and Hannah ignored each other as they sat around the round table with place card number five in the centerpiece in the high school gymnasium.  Hunter dragged Thomas with him when he went to get Megan and himself a cup of punch as Megan admired Thomas' dates dress.  Her name was Jodie Somers.  

"Thank you.  My Mom made it for me."  It was a sky blue sheath that looked like something a movie star would wear.

"What's taking them so long with the punch?"  Megan asked

"We've never seen Hunter so nervous before.  He was always the cool one of our group.  Keep up the good work, Megan."

It was nice seeing a cool guy loose his coolness when the right woman came a long and put him under a romantic spell.  Like Father, like son.

"My hands are shaking!  My whole body is shaking. We were on top of each other naked for god's sake, Thomas. Why does this dance make me so nervous?"

"Because you're out of your element.  S***.  There goes Nash Winkler again, he keeps shooting you dirty looks."

Nash Winkler was the junior quarterback on the football team and the kind of guy

Hunter Hyde hated.  He wasn't even the clean-cut all-American type he was more of the snobby, arrogant, condescending, kiss ass to the teachers, slash their tires when they're not looking type. 

"Don't worry about it.  Even he can't bother me tonight."  Hunter grabbed the two cups of punch as he and Thomas returned to the table.

Later

     "I'm sorry we couldn't dance."  Megan whispered as Hunter helped her with her shawl.  It wasn't that cold out for coats, despite it being Thanksgiving Eve.  It was going to be a mild winter that year. 

"Don't you ever be sorry."  He kissed her tenderly on the lips.  

Thomas and Jodie walked ahead and Hannah trailed as far away behind them as she could because she had to drive the stupid van.

Hunter tried not to lose his cool when he saw Nash leaned against the Forman's rental van.

"Get out of my way."  Hunter said in the calmest voice possible

"You are such a touchy person, Hyde.  I just wanted to meet your girlfriend.  It's not very good manners to NOT introduce people, you know."

Megan felt uncomfortable; she knew those "handicapped people are worthless" eyes.   She's experienced this kind of hate before.  

"Get out of my way."

"It figures the NERD who thinks he's so cool because he dresses in OLD clothes—has to resort to going to a school dance with a USELESS CRIPPLED BITCH."

Hannah knew that was going to be the straw that broke Hunter's back.

Hunter punched Nash in the mouth as they started to get into it in the school parking lot.

"H—hunter---N-o!"  Megan cried as Thomas and few other schoolmates tried to break them up. 

     Eric and Donna were watching TV as Jackie and Hyde were off doing "other things".   She just got done taking a shower and smelled like juniper.  They just finished some cheese and crackers, Eric was lucky if he had two.

"You know we could----" Eric put his arm around Donna and raised an eyebrow

"Yeah, we could, but we're not."

"You are absolutely no fun," Eric started to say as the phone rang, he figured he'd answer it, just incase it was one of the kids.

"Daddy!"  Megan cried into the phone.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

Donna sat up and suddenly felt the need to stand.

"I'm in the police station---"

'WHAT?!'  "WHAT?!"

"I'm in the police station—you have to bring Hyde, too."

"Okay, Megan, we'll be there soon. I Love you. ---Hyde---Hyde--!"  Eric shouted

"What is it, Eric?  What's wrong?"  Donna asked

"What is your problem, Forman?"

"Megan called—all the kids are in the police station—F***, Hyde, you STILL smell like a Grateful Dead concert, you better take a shower first!  Jackie—Jackie-"  

"I'm right here, Eric, what's all this about the kids being in the police station?!"

"I don't know, but I can't wait for Hyde to stop smelling illegal.  Can I borrow your car?"

"I'm coming with you, you can drive, I'm too nervous."  Jackie grabbed the keys from the end table and handed them to Eric.  

"I'll go with Hyde."  Donna said hoping they were all all right.

      Hunter's lip was bleeding and Megan took an ice cube from her soda cup, wrapped it in a tissue and put it on his lip.

"Thank you.  I'm glad Winkler's Father decided NOT to press charges."

"How's your lip?"  Megan asked

"I'll be fine—I'm more scared of dealing with my Father."

Hannah sat on the long wooden bench, "You should be.  This is all Megan's fault anyway."

"How could it be all Megan's fault?  You were there."

"Nash only said what other's could plainly see."

Hunter stood up to face his sister.  "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means she's useless."

Megan didn't want to cry, not in front of Hunter and not in front of her former best friend.

"Excuse me, Hannah?"

Eric and Jackie rushed into the police station.  

"What's this about a fight?"  Eric asked as Jackie hugged everyone under eighteen in the room.  Eric hugged Megan and gave her a kiss on the cheek. 

"Oh, Hunter your face is swollen, and your lip is all bloody—keep the ice on it."  Jackie said, wanting to swing at anyone who would harm her beautiful family. 

"Some jock called me a terrible name, Daddy—and Hunter let him have it."

"Yeah, you should see the other guy."  Hunter said wryly, Nash only walked away with a few minor cuts and scrapes.

"We signed the papers and since no charges have been pressed we can all go back home and enjoy the holiday tomorrow."  Eric said, proud of Hunter for defending his daughter.

"Thanksgiving is going to suck."  Hannah complained

Eric hugged Megan again, "You don't have to tell me what that idiot called you, and I just want you to know you aren't what he said."

"I know, Dad."

"I hope you had a good time at the dance."

"I did.  Can we go back to the house?"

"Sure."

Hannah handed Eric the keys to the van.  "I hope Dad is on his way."

"What's going on?"  Hyde asked, he smelled like green tea because he grabbed Jackie's shower gel by mistake.

Donna went over to Megan, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah.  Hunter defended my honor.  Would you wheel me to the van kind sir?"  She asked

Hunter blushed; he loved her more than anything in the whole world.  "Of course, Megan."

"Will somebody please fill me in?"

"It was no biggie, Dad.  Nash Winkler called Megan a 'useless crippled bitch' and Hunter tried to punch his lights out. But Nash is stronger than he is. So- He was going to press charges but his Father got him to drop them."  Hannah didn't bother to tell the parents that she agreed with Nash's out of line comments.  She wandered to the exit doors. 

Eric's heart sank—how could anyone call his wonderful daughter that?  He wanted to find this Nash Winkler (who sounded like he should be in a 1950's detective series) and beat the Hell out of him, himself.  

"It's all right, Eric, it's over with."  Donna felt the same way, and held his hand.

"You have a great son, Hyde.  I'm glad he was there to protect Megan."   Eric said

"Thanks, Forman."  Hyde replied matter-of-factly, but he was bursting with pride on the inside.  He would have done the same thing.

"Let's take them all out for ice cream."  Jackie said

"Jackie, nothing is open. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving."  Hyde replied

"Actually, the donut shop on Lincoln is open."  Leave a police officer to know that one.

"Let's take them out for donuts."  Jackie said, a little impromptu party is what everyone needed.

"Donuts sound good."  Hyde replied, he could eat a whole dozen himself!

"Fine—but Eric and I will just have the coffee."  Donna said

"Hey!  Maybe, I want a chocolate glazed."

"Okay, you can either have a chocolate glazed OR," She whispered the rest in his ear, "a Donna glazed."

"That's blackmail, again."  Eric said

"That's still life."

"We'll just have the coffee.  Come on let's join the kids."

They all walked out of the police station.   Proud of Hunter for being Megan's knight in vintage clothing.

12AM

     Megan was too overexcited and couldn't sleep. She was in her Mother's old University of Wisconsin hooded sweatshirt, black drawstring loose pants, and the annoying Yoda socks her Father got her years ago.  She sat in her wheelchair trying to read a magazine in the living room when she saw Hunter come in.  He was wearing what he normally slept in a colored t-shirt (that one green), gray jogging pants, and white socks.  

"Hi, you couldn't sleep either?"  He kissed her softly on the lips.

"No."  

He dimmed the lights.  "I thought about this as I tried to drift off to sleep," Hunter went to the stereo complete with vinyl record player because Hyde wanted his kids to know what a record was, "and I think I got it."  He made sure the volume was low so no one would be bothered by it.  Megan threw the magazine on the floor as she heard the opening piano chords of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer".  

"What, Hunter?"

"Can I sit on your lap? Is that okay?"

"Sure."

He put his hand on her shoulders and directed her hands to his back.  

"Now, close your eyes, and sway."

He found a way for them to dance.  She never even thought of that because she was so wrapped up in wishing that she had working legs.  

"I love you, Hunter, I know I said it already but thank you for everything tonight, you are my hero."  She kissed his shadowed cheek and buried her head in his safe shoulder as they "danced" to the record. 

"I love you, too, Tiny Dancer."  He replied in a night whisper as he held her closer.

  
  



	5. Our Kids

Chapter 5

Our Kids

     It was hard to believe that designer clotheshorse, make up loving, and jewelry aficionado Jackie Hyde could and actually wanted to make the holiday dinner for her family and close friends.  But yes, she had self-taught herself how to cook by reading cookbooks and watching videos of snobby chefs from five star restaurants.  She thought who else was going to cook, Steven?  Not that he couldn't—he would make the kids grilled cheese sandwiches when they were little and came home from elementary school and whenever they were outside having a barbeque like most men he took charge of the grill, what was he supposed to do? Make the salad?  

Jackie loved having the kitchen to herself as everyone slept in.  It was a long night between picking the kids up at the police station to going out for donuts after.   She washed her hands in the sink as she finished stuffing the turkey. She was about to start on the homemade cranberry sauce, because Steven said he liked it better than the stuff in the can as Donna slowly walked in the kitchen.  

"Hi, Donna, you're up early."

"No, coffee?"

"Oops!  Sorry, I forgot to make it.  There's an instant coffee bag in the small canister behind you."   

Donna looked a picture in Eric's old robe and messed up hair.  She took one of tea bag like pouches that held coffee instead, filled it with water, put it in a blue mug and nuked it in the microwave.

"Yeah—"

"You're cheery in the morning."  Jackie stopped what she was doing to put the coffeemaker on just in case Steven wanted a fresh cup when he woke up.

"It's been a long night, Jackie."  Donna sat down.  

She was glad that Hunter was there to protect her daughter from the ignorant but on her way to the bathroom early in the morning she heard Elton John coming from the living room stereo and Megan wasn't in her bed.  She KNEW what they were doing.  She didn't want to think about them making out.  She liked Hunter and she wouldn't stop them from seeing each other—but now she didn't want to let go.  Her eyes couldn't close until she heard Hunter walk to his bedroom and that was at one o'clock in the morning.  Sometimes Donna was relieved that Megan was in a wheelchair, they couldn't try to sneak sex in the living room, it would take too long and they weren't going to repeat the sofa incident.  Hunter Hyde was a good kid and he respected Megan and she realized that they both loved each other.  But she hoped they would just take their time.  There was absolutely no need to rush things.  They had their whole lives.  But kids view their time as if they didn't have any tomorrow's left to come when Donna realized that's all they had.  

"Are you okay?"  Jackie took a small tray of coffee cake out of the refrigerator

for breakfast and placed it on the table.

"Yeah.  As I said it has been a long night."

"Hunter is just like Steven when it comes to defending the people closest to him."

"Jackie," Donna stood up, she didn't even finish her coffee, "I'm going to wake Eric up, he's been sleeping too long."

Jackie could tell something was on Donna's mind, she wondered what it could possibly be?  Her son was nothing but a gentleman with Megan [sofa incident aside] she didn't know if she could nod her head in politeness if Donna had a problem with her son.  She figured there was no sense worrying about it, if Donna wanted to talk, she had a mouth and normally was not afraid to use it.  Jackie went back to making the cranberry sauce as she waited for the kids and Steven to get up.  Steven wasn't the only one who would defend their family.

     12:00PM

       Eric and Hyde did what men did best during holiday functions before and after the meal—watch football on TV.  Hunter didn't like sports as he and Megan had to do acceptable family activities like play Scrabble instead of being in his bedroom exploring their bodies like they both wanted to.  Hannah did keep her Father company on the sofa, even though she didn't like football, but liked the tight pants the guys wore.  Donna waffled back and forth between helping Jackie 

'Damn, I thought I was a feminist' in the kitchen and obviously checking on Megan and Hunter in the computer room. 

"If she comes in here one more time---I mean, I know she's your Mother---"

Hunter put the tiles on the board to spell P-E-S-T

"That doesn't mean she's not a pest.  I don't know what her problem is.  It's ironic and cool that you got that word."

His face was still a tiny bit swollen but the cut on his lip was minimal.  

The doorbell rang; Jackie wanted the "Sugar Plum Fairy" music from Tchaikovsky's, The Nutcracker Suite.  Steven said "No f***ing way, I have to live here, too, and that will definitely drive me insane."  And she didn't want him to have the Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven" music, so they just decided on "Average American Doorbell".

"Tiffany's here."  Hunter said, not bothering to get up.

"Don't you want to say 'hi' to her?"

"I'd rather be here with you and play Scrabble.  I'll say 'hello' later."

Megan had the right tiles to spell out L-O-V-E but thought it would be too embarrassing to do on a Scrabble board especially if her Mom walked in again, and if Megan's calculations were correct Sgt. Donna should be checking back on them in 5.4 minutes.

     Dinner With The Hyde's

          Jackie put the rolls on the table and had to slap Hannah's hand.  She put her hand on her Husband's so he wouldn't carve the turkey.  

"Before we eat—"

'Don't say it, Jackie---You mean well, but don't' Hyde thought, he wasn't particularly in the mood to verbally share.  He was never in the mood for that-ever.

"I thought since we're all here that we'd all like to say a few words on what we are most thankful for this year.  I'm thankful for Steven," She kissed him on the cheek "And my children.  I'm glad you came for Thanksgiving dinner, Tiffany.  We'll start in order—Steven, what are you most thankful for?"

"That this holiday only comes once a year."  She knew he was thankful for his family; but he couldn't he have said it out loud?

"My turn.  I'm thankful that finally all the Star Wars movies are going to be shown uncut on Pay-Per-View for a Christmas Day marathon."    Eric said as Donna slapped his arm.

"And of course my lovely wife, Donna, and sweet daughter, Megan."

"If you think you are going to watch movies that you have seen a million times already on TV all day on Christmas you have another thing coming, lovely Husband, Eric.  I'm thankful that I can skip over this question."  

Hyde smiled.  Donna ruled the Forman family.

"I'm thankful for doing better in Math class."  Hannah said

"You've got to be kidding, right?"

"No, Tiffany, what are you most thankful for?"  Jackie asked

Eric couldn't find out if she had a boyfriend, because Tiffany knew Eric was asking on her Mother's behalf and she told him to tell her, "When there's something to tell her, she'll be the first to know."

"To be living in New York City."  'Away from this hokey cr**'

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, Hunter—you do."  Jackie said

He held Megan's hand, "I'm thankful for Megan."  He was embarrassed to say it in front of everyone at the dining room table.

"And I'm thankful for Hunter.  Especially for last night.  And good books," She winked at him.

Donna wondered what that secret code meant.  Her daughter might have confided in her more, but she still wasn't opening up to everything regarding her relationship with Hunter. But that was a mystery that she was determined to solve, because there was something bugging her on the whole Megan/Hunter coupling lately.

"Now can I carve the turkey, Jackie, or are we going to reenact the first Thanksgiving by means of shadow puppets?"  Hyde remarked, gently, after all he wanted his bedtime sex tonight!

"Yes, we can eat now."  So much for any good conversation Jackie thought.

      After Dinner

     Donna told Jackie to sit and relax since she slaved over a hot stove all morning and that she and Megan were perfectly capable of doing the dishes, drying them, and putting them away.  Despite the fact that they had a working dishwasher.  

"I can't put this away, Mom.  It goes in the high cupboard."  

"That's okay, you can leave the top cupboard stuff on the table for me to put away."

"Are we done?"

"Megan, you know there's more dishes to be washed.  The reason I told Jackie we'd help her out is because I want to talk to you."

"Hunter and I didn't do anything."  Megan almost dropped the serving bowl that was used for the mashed potatoes.

"I didn't say you did.  I just wanted to remind you that while your Father and I think Hunter is a nice boy—we still think you guys should take it very slow.  You have your whole lives to be serious.  And before you roll your eyes, you should know I speak from experience.  Your Father and I went through some very tough times."

"I know—from the Promise Ring to the loveless first marriage---to Daddy's foray into Coke addiction."

"Don't use a smart mouth with me, Megan, but yes, you're right."  Donna put the dishes in the wooden criss-cross rack.

"Sorry.  Why were you checking up on Hunter and me a million times while we were playing Scrabble?"

"I don't know.  I'm just worried about you.  I don't want you to think you NEED a man—don't get me wrong, men can be great, I don't want you to think that you NEED a man to survive."

"I Love Hunter."  Megan replied while drying a dish

"I know—and he loves you, but you are both TOO YOUNG for a serious grown up relationship."  'Good one, Donna, that statement will probably push them even closer together'.

"I'd like to think that you'd be happy for me—but I remember you once saying you weren't happy for me.  But after last night, Mom—"

"I'm very proud of Hunter for what he did last night—but I don't want you thinking you need a knight in shining armor to save you from each and every little thing.  When you have college and your whole future to look forward to."

"Am I grounded?"

"No, you're not grounded.  You didn't do anything wrong, Megan.  I just want you to keep in mind, that you are only young once.  The next thing you know, you'll be my age.  I love your Father, but I'm just saying, we moved too fast.  A lot of problems could have been avoided.  I'm just advising you to take it slow, that's all."

"Is this about sex?"  Megan whispered, "Because we haven't done it yet."

"No, it's not about sex, but I'm glad that you have decided to wait.  Respect your body."

"I'm done putting away the last dinner dish.  Can I go now, Mom?"

"Yes."  'She didn't listen to a damn word, I said' Donna replied tiredly.  She only wanted to protect her daughter was that such a bad thing for a Mother to do?

      Eric laughed silently as Hyde fell asleep on the sofa.  He was going to get a soda but didn't feel like going in the kitchen because he was sure Donna was grilling Megan about her relationship with Hunter.  He didn't want to be hypocritical because he found his way to Hunter's bedroom and knocked on the door.  

"Come in."

"It's me."  Eric said as he opened the door to find Hunter drawing in his sketchpad.

"What do you want, Eric?"  He was half-expecting this talk.  He supposed every Father had to "protect" their daughter.  

Eric closed the door.  "I'm going to admit, while I wasn't thrilled with your and my daughter's sofa activity and brief trip to New York City—I am very proud of what you did last night.  Which leads me to ask you, what is your intent with Megan?"  

Eric pulled up a chair.

"I Love Her."  

"I know you do—and she loves you, probably more than anyone in the world, right now.  But again, what is your intent with my daughter?"

"I'm sorry, Eric, I don't follow you."

"Let me word it another way.  A long, long time ago when I was about your age.  I thought my adolescence was going fairly well.  I had good friends, a part time job, school was okay, but most importantly, I had Donna.  Now, I'll tell you in my generation growing up—women were expected to stay at home and have no careers.  My Mom balanced her career as a nurse, but still took the time to care for her family—Well, I was kind of sexist back then—just a little and expected Donna to do everything that I wanted to do.  I bought her a---"

"Oh God, is this the promise ring story?"

"Who told you about that, Hunter?"

"Everyone knows about the promise ring story, Eric. You tell it to everyone, but go on, I'm sure there's a point in there somewhere."  Hunter rested his head on his pillow.

"Thank you.  And yes, there is a point.  It scared me so much that Donna did see a future without me in it.  She accepted my ring at first, but I couldn't deal with it when she wore it around her neck.  So, as you and everyone else knows, we broke up. ---and it was the worst hurt I ever felt in my life.  I had terrible dreams about it—I dreamt an Angel took me through time and space to see what life would've been like if Donna and I never hooked up—and she chose your Dad—"

"Really?"  He couldn't picture that.  His parents complimented each other perfectly.

"In a stereotypical, clichéd, over exaggerated way.  I couldn't get out of bed; I could barely eat those first days.  I saw Donna's face in my lunch meat and her name in my Alpha Bits."

Hunter laughed, that was just too funny.  

"Okay, it might be funny in parts now, but it wasn't then.  It was a terrible heartbreak—and one I NEVER want Megan to experience.  She's had enough heartbreak in her life.  That's the point I'm trying to make."

"You don't have to worry about me hurting, Megan, Eric.  I love her too much."

"Sometimes love is not enough and sometimes bad things happen.  I just hope you kids take it slow.  There is absolutely no need to rush things.  If the two of you are meant to be, it'll happen.  You're a good kid, Hunter.  I don't want to scare you or come across as someone you can't ever talk to.

I just don't want Megan's dreams to be shattered. Or yours for that matter."

"They won't be.  I promise you that."

Eric stood up and put the chair back against the wall.

"Hunter, you shouldn't make promises that you may not be able to keep."  Eric said as he left the room leaving Hunter to absorb all of what Eric just said.

        "You what, man?"  Hyde asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Talked to Hunter.  I just want him and Megan to take it slow—I don't want Megan to be hurt.  I don't want Hunter to be hurt, either---"

"I know what you mean, Forman."  Hyde thought that speech probably bored his son to tears.

Jackie and Donna came in the living room.  Jackie sat on the sofa and cuddled into her Husband.  Donna sat next to Eric but didn't touch him.

"What are you guys talking about?"  Jackie asked

"If you want to know our kids," Eric said, "I talked to Hunter."

"Good, because I talked to Megan.  But they're kids, they're not going to listen."  Donna said

"You can't stop true love," Jackie replied, kissing Steven on the cheek, if he didn't slightly pull away a bit—and she knew that's just where Hunter got it from.

"Yes, but they are just kids."  Hyde said.  He trusted his son and all, but still, they were just kids and they should just take their time and not rush into grown up situations that they probably weren't ready for.

All of the adults in the living room knew their fair share of heartaches.  That's why they were all concerned for their kids and this relationship of Megan and Hunter's.

"As I said they're not going to listen.  Megan had that look in her eyes like I didn't know what I was talking about.  As if I were from another planet."

It was so quiet in the living room other than the voices of four old friends.  Tiffany was in the computer room, Hannah was in her room, and Hunter and Megan went back to their Scrabble game moving the board to the dining room.  

"To them we don't," Hyde started to say, "To them, we don't know what we're talking about because they think they are the only ones to go through, what we've all gone through before.  But they don't want to hear it."  

"What's the plan for Christmas are you guys coming to our house?"  Donna asked

"As much as I'd like to ruin Forman's Star Wars marathon and have you guys come here.  We'd like the break—and spend Christmas in Point Place."  Hyde said.

"Like the break? AHEM! Excuse me, Steven!  You didn't clean AND cook today! All you did was watch football and carve the turkey."

"Yeah, but I'd like to watch football on Forman's sofa for a change.  You love me, Jackie."  He kissed her on the cheek.

"Where's my kiss?"  Eric asked Donna

She playfully pushed him away.  "That's sweet, real sweet. Nice wife I got."

     Megan and Hunter got bored with their Scrabble game and quietly went into the laundry room.  It was after the pantry and passed the dining room.

"Hunter, I'm sorry that my Dad gave you a lecture." 

"Don't be, it's okay.   How was your Mother's talk?"

"About the same—sit on my lap again—"

"When are we going to put that book to the test?"  Hunter asked, after he kissed her on the lips.

"I—I don't know—"

"I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Megan.  I'll wait for when you're ready.  I just love you so much—and our parent, even my quote unquote cool Dad, doesn't understand.  You know I'm not going to leave you after we 'Do It'—I'm not—"  
  
"Shut up, Hunter."  Megan swallowed her nervousness and kissed him—but went the extra step by gently putting her tongue in his mouth.

He pulled away, he didn't want to, but he pulled himself away.  Usually in situations like this it was the female that pulls away.

"What's wrong—Did I---?"

"No, Megan, it's not you.  I just wanted to make sure that you're ready for that."

"I am ready for that.  Why do you think I initiated it first?  Just so you could pull away?  Let's try that again, only don't pull away this time."

They kissed passionately as Hunter took her glasses off and was able to put them on the washing machine without stopping.  She was more rough than he was, he was just afraid of hurting her, and she had to prove that just because she was in a wheelchair didn't mean she wasn't a sexual being.  'Way better than regular kissing' Hunter thought as they took a pause.  He put her glasses back on.

"Did you like?"  She asked

"Yeah!"  He replied blushing, thinking so much for taking it slow, and he was convinced if they had the house to themselves, this could have been the moment that they tried one of those pages from the "Enabling Romance" book.

"I'm glad."  Megan rested her head on his shoulder.  

"You know what, Megan?"  
  
"What, Hunter?"

"F*** our parents.  Our relationship is about us and not about them.  I'm not putting pressure on you for sex, that is all about for you to be ready.  Men are always ready, because we're pigs---" 

She laughed.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we love each other—and you are going to be here for a week—and then there's the Christmas holidays—I'm saying that I never want to leave your side, Megan—I don't know if they're trying to break us up or show us the error of their ways, but as I said f*** our parents, because they aren't us."

"I feel the same way, you do," She took her glasses off, she couldn't see a thing, but a blurred outline, "Are you up for another round?"

"Megan!"  
  
"What?  Hunter!  You're right men are pigs!  That's not what I mean, but I'm glad you are in excellent working order---I meant---you KNEW what I meant—Shut up and kiss me with your tongue."

She wasn't her parents little girl anymore and he wasn't the saint his Mother thought he was.  They were the offspring of long time friends who found true love with each other, despite what their folks thought—maybe, after all, the kids really did know best.

Tomorrow was all they had.

  
  



	6. We Know What You Did

Chapter 6

We Know What You Did

     There was a light candy snow on the sidewalks in Point Place, Wisconsin.  It lightly clung to the trees outside as it fell against the backdrop of streetlights making the Forman's house look like a Christmas postcard.  Donna cut the pre made sugar cookie dough log and put the discs on the cookie sheet.  She wished Megan wanted to help her.  She KNEW this was going to happen.  

It wasn't something that she wanted to be right about.  She hated seeing her daughter in pain even if she did deny that she was in that very state. Megan swore up and down to her parents that nothing happened between herself and Hunter.  Hunter did the same with Jackie and Hyde.  But something happened on the last night of their Thanksgiving holiday visit.  Donna and Jackie were the angst queens so they both could tell that something wasn't right between Megan and Hunter, especially since days before they caught them sneaking into the laundry room to make out.

Even Hannah wouldn't say anything to her Mother, but that was only because she didn't know the reason for her brother's and Megan's break up. Jackie and Hyde's plane should be landing soon and Eric went to the pick them up at the airport because they didn't feel like renting a car as seeing Hyde was too cheap and Jackie figured they could just take Donna's car or the van if they wanted to do some last minute shopping as it was two whole days before Christmas.  You try and give your kids the best advice hoping that they'd learn from your mistakes, but sometimes they have to go through the pain themselves.  Megan wasn't crying and was doing her best Donna-esque front.  Eric couldn't even get her to open up.  Something definitely happened between them.  When they all said their goodbyes after their Thanksgiving visit, Hunter was in a corner and didn't even say "goodbye" to her.  He had his head down the whole time, thinking no one would notice.  But everyone noticed.  And even if they hadn't noticed Hunter, Megan's silence would have been the giveaway.  Another clue was the lack of interest on the computer for Megan for anything other than schoolwork since she wasn't talking to Hannah anymore, she just went on to check some of her favorite websites such as the Teens in Wheelchairs forum that Donna recommended to her when she turned twelve.  Donna set the timer for twelve minutes and went to check on Megan.  It hurt her that her daughter's semi confiding in her stopped and she didn't know if it had anything to do with any of the lectures her and/or Eric had given her, but it was not the best feeling in the world when your kids don't want to talk to you.

"Hi, Megan."  Donna said, as Megan finished her first Christmas vacation book.

Charles Dickens', "A Tale of Two Cities".  Even though they were broken up. She still missed Hunter so much.  

"Mom—are they here yet?  I don't feel like going up there.  Please, don't make me."  

Donna noticed for about a month, her daughter really didn't even look her in the eyes anymore. 

"All right.  I won't."  She kissed her on the cheek, before sadly heading upstairs

to check on the sugar cookies.   They used to have fun putting the red and green sprinkles on them together and sometimes they would use Kitty's old aluminum cookie cutters in the shapes of Christmas trees, bells, reindeers, and Santa heads.   She missed those times.    If only her daughter would talk to her.  Didn't she already know that she could tell her Mother anything?   
  


     Hunter was miserable.  He felt his wall go up, which was easy considering he was Steven Hyde's son after all.  He missed Megan so much.  Damn, did the parents have to be RIGHT?  They both said some hurtful things to each other.  They tried to act like nothing was wrong but the folks knew, they ALWAYS knew.  He didn't say anything to his Mother or Father.  Hyde even tried to get his son to open up to him privately when Jackie and Hannah were out Christmas shopping but Hunter thought it was laughable that his Dad would try to get anyone to reveal their true emotions, even his own son, considering he was Mr. Zen.  He had a part time job washing dishes at the diner with his friend Thomas.  He didn't tell him anything, either.  At least he let it go, which was more than he could say for his parents.  He had the present all picked out that he wanted to buy her when he saw the circular on Thanksgiving because he knew he would have his own money to buy it with, and then before the holiday was over they had to have their first argument.  They were getting their luggage off the spinning circle.  Why did his Mother always travel with so many bags?  All you needed was one sturdy suitcase and maybe a carryon, but he was so miserable he didn't even bring his sketchpad or pencils.  There was Eric waving with his scrawny arms and his Father had to make a caustic comment.  Hunter was going to be in the same house as Megan.  Why did they have to fight?  It hurt him so deeply.  It hurt them both.   He didn't want to think about that moment, but like Megan, he couldn't stop thinking of what happened.  Maybe, Eric was right about saying promises you couldn't keep after all.

~The Thanksgiving Holiday Flashback~

~The last night at Jackie and Hyde's~

     Since their laundry room aka 'the make out secret room' was found out, they figured it was best to just sit and watch TV together in the living room and do their kissing and selective touching when no one else was present.  Hunter helped her out of her chair and they sat next to each other on the sofa.  They figured after what happened last time that they better not be horizontal on the sofa.  He covered their legs up with his Mother's afghan.  They were kissing because no one was in the room.  Even Frenched each other a couple of times, when Megan spotted a diary on the coffee table.  

"Let's read Hannah's diary!  It'll be good for a laugh.  Plus, I want to know what she's written about me."  

Hunter picked it up, "I know we shouldn't," he smiled, "But let's do it anyway."

He flipped to the middle.  "—'Michael and I went to the Hub'—whoa—this isn't Hannah's diary!  This is my Mom's diary!"  He threw it back on the table.

"Hunter, read more.  There might be some ammo in there that we can use against our hypocritical parents later."

"Okay," he picked it up again, and went to the last entry written in the year 2000.  "Dear Diary—I am finally Mrs. Steven Hyde!  I found this diary when I was doing some cleaning and noticed there was two pages left.  I know I have other diaries, but they're in storage somewhere.  But the fact that this diary started with me

loving Michael Kelso and ends with me and Steven finally tying the knot. I think that's very special. I'm so happy right now.  It wasn't my grand dream wedding—the first wedding ceremony to Steven was ruined when Michael through Brad ruined our day.  Donna and Eric were able to get remarried that day. It was supposed to be a DOUBLE wedding!  I was jealous of that for a long time.  However after Steven walked out on me when I kept putting off rescheduling the wedding, due to Brad's twisted mind. (Which I don't feel like writing about right now) Steven was right to do so.  I should have been able to confide in him.  I didn't think, I would be in Eric's old house, sitting on Laurie's old bed, getting married to Steven who just woke up from his nap to find us all around him.  Tiffany was so cute; I really don't want her to grow up.   Brad and his sexual bribes didn't matter, (thanks so much, Donna!), Donna's affair with Steven and the abortion didn't matter—" Hunter was on autopilot and didn't realize the significance of what he just read until he heard Megan's voice.

"STOP!  Hunter—what the hell?"  Megan asked just like her Mother

"My Father slept with your Mother?"  He made it a question.

"Mom cheated on Dad with Hyde?  And HE got her pregnant?"  

Hunter didn't know where it came from, but he stood up to face her, "I don't like your tone, Megan.  It takes two you know."

"I don't care if you don't like my tone or not, Hunter. Your Father knew my parents were together—and he's Dad's best friend, how could he?"

"You don't even know the time they had the affair.  It could've been when they were divorced."

"No—it was earlier.  How are you able to justify your Father's wandering d***?"

"Well, maybe your Mother wouldn't have reached out to my Dad if she felt satisfied with Eric in the first place."

"So, this is my Mom's fault?  Didn't your Dad ever hear of the word decency?  How about NOT cheating with your best friends girl?"

Megan was trying to picture the timeline in her head.  It had to be during her parent's long engagement before their first marriage.  She knew there was twenty year or so odd gap before the parents reunited and rekindled their friendships—and DIDN'T---Her Dad and Hyde---

"Megan, don't YOU talk about MY DAD.  Unless you want to apologize for YOUR FATHER almost trying to KILL him."

"Don't YOU talk about my Dad, Hunter.  You know he was strung out on drugs at the time!"

As quickly as they shared their tender moments, it seemed to be over just as swift.

"That's such an excuse, but I'd expect that from a Daddy's girl."

Just a few days ago he defended her honor when a punk popular kid harassed them, they were able to "dance" with each other, French kissed each other for the first time, and now they were in the middle of what their parents had done decades ago.  She didn't want to cry in front of him.  

When it comes right down to it, you have to defend your parents when people talk bad of them, don't you?  Even if the person saying the bad things was one of your childhood friends and the supposed love of your life?  You are supposed to defend your family at all costs.  Weren't you?

"Go away, Hunter.  I NEVER want to see you again."

"With pleasure, Megan."

They didn't think about the endless family gatherings they had to attend at one another's houses as they were too caught up in their hurtful words to each other.

Hunter went to his bedroom and cried, as Megan held back the tears because she knew once she started crying she was never was going to stop.  The parents were RIGHT.    Megan pretended to watch TV just incase EricDonnaJackieORHyde came in the room she would just say she was watching a movie and maybe they'd leave her alone—or better yet, she tried to stay calm so she wouldn't fall on the floor, she had to remember this sofa was lower than the one in her house and she put herself in the lying position and pretended to be asleep.  She didn't think that kiss fifteen minutes ago with Hunter would be their last.  At that moment it was the worst pain in both Megan and Hunter's lives. 

~End flashback~

         Donna poured the tea and ate about six of the sugar cookies.  She was always a sucker for holiday splurging but she was also depressed about her daughter and knew she was only eating the cookies out of a coping mechanism. 

"Are you going to eat all the cookies?"  asked a gentle Jackie

"No—I'm sorry," She slid the plate over to Jackie, "I have a lot on my mind."

"The kids?  Me too.  Steven and I still don't understand what happened.  Hunter will not say anything at all."

"Neither will Megan.  She tries to act like everything is all right---"  
  
"So does Hunter.  All he does is go to school and work—he hasn't drawn much at all.  That's very unlike him."

"All she does is go to school—she was supposed to get a job, too, but she's too upset, so Eric and I haven't forced the job issue."

"What are we going to do?  We can't force them to talk, but something is so obviously wrong with them, we have to do something."  Donna replied in an almost Jackie-esque way.

"I have no idea, Donna.  Where did our Husband's go?"

"I think Eric is trying to get Hyde to help him with the Christmas lights."

"Now that's entertainment."  Jackie tried to smile, but it didn't work because all she could think about was Hunter and Megan's pain.

     'Damn, they're here' Megan turned off her hearing aid and took her glasses off and put them on her end table.  She was doing a great deal of pretend napping lately.  At that moment she was glad to be paralyzed otherwise she might have felt the need to run up and see Hunter.  There was no such need as her heart pulled away from her chest.  She missed him so much, but she didn't want to see him.   She hoped she wouldn't have to eat dinner with them; maybe she could fake a cold.  She closed her eyes, but did not sleep.  She hoped Hunter was feeling just as lousy as her. 

      "Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you and little Miss Imperfect?"  Hannah asked Hunter as they had the Forman living room to themselves.

"Shut up, Hannah!"

"I knew this was going to happen, you two did not belong together.  Was it a pity relationship because she's crippled?"  

"I refuse to dignify that with a response."  Hunter ran upstairs to lock himself in the bathroom for privacy.

'Megan, I miss you so much'

      Eric and Hyde were getting frustrated with the outside Christmas lights and gave up fifteen minutes before dinner.  Donna whispered to Eric that Megan did not want to join them at the table and told him to take a tray down for her.  Jackie noticed that Sgt. Donna seemed to bark orders at her Husband, and far be it from Jackie to get involved (!)—She was done with being nosy, her only concern was making sure her family was loved and taken care of.  The sight of her beautiful son with his head down at the table made her very sad.  He was always the quiet one of the family but something with Megan made him lose his self-imposed inhibitions.  He actually liked to converse with her even before they became romantically interested in one another.  She brought out something wonderful in her son and just like that it was gone.  

"Do I have to eat?"  Hunter asked in a whisper

"Son, you didn't eat all day."  Hyde said, wondering what could they possibly have fought about?

"Fine.  I'll just have the applesauce."

"That's not enough, why don't you have---"  
  
"Mother—"  'Don't say it like Tiffany does'  "I'm fine."

Donna felt bad for the both of them.  Megan didn't want to face Hunter and she was going to have to sooner or later and Hunter couldn't eat and had an unbecoming sullen look on his young face.  She hoped Eric could get Megan to eat something she needed to keep up her strength, as she was susceptible to colds, another by-product of her birth Mother's addictions.  

      Eric cleaned off her desk and made room for her dinner plate and wow her Mother let her have a can of regular soda with her meal.  Megan woke up to the scent of mashed potatoes and gravy.  It was usually one of her favorite foods.  She could feel someone was in the room.  It was either her Mom or Dad.  She put on her glasses and upped her hearing aid.

"Hi, honey, since you won't come upstairs and eat, I brought you a tray down."  Eric kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Dad."  She wasn't hungry; she could dump it all in the toilet later.

"You need to keep your strength up."

"I know.  I'd like to be alone now---to eat."

"Okay."  Eric hated not being able to do anything to make her feel better.  It tore him up seeing his daughter hurting so badly.

"Bye, Dad."  

"I miss you so much, Hunter'.

1:45AM

     Hunter gave in to his hunger pains at one forty five in the morning and tried to find something to snack on in this house.  There was too much of whole grain wheat anything, but there was a small loaf of Wonder bread in the refrigerator, it should've just had a neon sign that said "ERIC" on it.  Then he spotted the cookie tin on the counter and he was about to take out a few cookies and pour himself a glass of milk when something rose up inside of him.  That little annoying voice in your head that tells you the difference between right and wrong like "we don't steal penny candy in the grocery store, Hunter" said Mom when he was three years old and they took his crayons away before they realized that he had a true artists talent and they made him put his spare change in the tin even if he wasn't going to get any candy for a month after that!  He put the cookies back in the tin, grabbed two plastic cups with Christmas decorations on the side, the milk ('skim? yuck!') and hoped that he was doing the right thing.  He went downstairs to Megan's basement bedroom.  He put the cookie tin, cups, and milk on her desk.   He walked over to her bed—he wanted to die on the spot.  She was so beautiful.  Really beautiful in the glow of the nightlight and the moonshine coming from the window, he didn't want to scare her so he gently tapped her on the shoulder and made sure to hand her, her glasses.  She didn't know what to do at first except to put in her hearing aid and turn it on.

"Hi, Megan."

"Hi, Hunter."

He brought the cookie tin over to her and placed it on her end table.  She took a cookie because she was absolutely famished.  He poured the milk, god, it was just like water.  His Mother bought way better groceries than Donna.

At the same time they both said, "I missed you."

"No, you first."  They both replied in unison again.

They shared a small laugh.   "Go ahead, Hunter."

"Megan, I was watching THEM at the dinner table and if Mom, Dad, and your parents can be friends and hang out and stuff and go to each other's houses on holidays, WHY in the Hell are WE fighting? Because I hate it—it's been the WORST month, ever.  Let's just leave our parents past where it belongs—in the past."

"Lay down with me."  He put her milk cup on the end table with the cookie tin.  

"I'm sorry for all the bad things I said about your parents and especially YOU." He replied as he got in the bed next to her. 

"Me too."  The only one who didn't get talked about in a bad light was Jackie.

"I love you."  They both said at the same time again.  They both laughed at how much they were in synch with each other.

"Hunter---"

"Yes?"

"What are you waiting for?  Are you going to kiss me or do I have to wait for an invitation?"

"I thought you wanted to cuddle first."

"Later."  They kissed as if they were never apart.  

Five minutes later they heard a loud bang coming from upstairs.

"S***!  What was that?  What if it's your Dad? Or worse yet--your Mother!"  Hunter jumped out of the bed

"Well, go up there and see who it is, then come back."  After all it could just be Hannah.

"What if they tell me to go back to bed?"

"Tell them you were in bed!"  

"Megan, now is not the time to make jokes," He kissed her on the lips, "If I get sent back upstairs, you'll know why."  

He took two sugar cookies out of the tin before he left, but he didn't care for that terrible skim milk so he didn't think of putting that back in the refrigerator.

"Just incase you don't come back tonight, I love you, Hunter."

He kissed her softly on the lips again, "I love you, too, Megan."

Hunter walked quietly up the ramp and tried not to make any noise and hoped to just get a glimpse of who it was in the kitchen.  'Oh, f***'.  It wasn't Donna or Eric it was HIS Father.  He stayed there for what seemed like an eternity trying to find the best time to sneak back up to the guest room.  Hey, where did his Father get the cake from?!  When he thought he had a clean getaway he tried to get passed his Father and back upstairs without him knowing.

"Hunter, get your ass back here."  Hyde laughed.  The kid was a certain character.  He had the best of both of his parent's traits. He loved him to bits.

"Dad—Who are you, the great and all powerful Wizard of Oz?"

"Yeah—and because I can smell your soap."  It was ocean marine blue in a big bar, one of the few things he liked from his Mom's salon.

'Damn'. 

"Hunter, I don't want you to think I was eavesdropping on your conversation with Megan on purpose, because I wasn't.  You don't have to tell me exactly what your fight with Megan was about—but was it about us parents?"

"Kind of."

"You and Megan have a great love and you don't deserve the torture that all of us went through to find happiness.   And you don't deserve to lose that love because of US over anything we said and did to each other.  I liked what you told Megan, I wish you realized that earlier.  Instead of letting this fester for about a month.  We are all friends, Forman, Donna, your Mother, and myself.  There is NO reason for you to lose Megan over things that happened before you kids were even born that had absolutely nothing to do with the both of you."

"I know that now, Dad," Hunter yawned, "I'm tired.  I think I am going to go bed now. Goodnight."  Hunter stood up.

"Upstairs."

"Yeah, I know.  God, how long WERE you listening?!"

"Until I dropped the whipped cream can."

"What makes you think I was going to go back downstairs?"

"Hunter, I'm a man, too.  Do you think you invented it?  But I am happy the two of you made up and are back together."

"Dad, can you give me a ride into town tomorrow?"

Hyde smiled, "Yes, I will take you shopping so you can buy Megan's Christmas present."

"How did you KNOW that's what I wanted to do?"

"Because I AM the great and all powerful Wizard of Oz—and Christmas is only a few days away.  Call it the process of elimination."

Hyde didn't expect his son to hug him but at that moment Hunter was so happy that he gave his Father a small hug around the shoulders.

"Love you, Dad."  

"I love you, too, son."   

Hunter exited the kitchen, wishing he could go back downstairs and return to Megan's arms again. 

It had to be about the affair with Donna or Forman's Coke addiction that made the kids go at it, but he wasn't about to bring those bad memories up again.  He finished the cake, deciding to bring the can of whipped cream upstairs for some Jackie Fun seeing as he dented the can when he dropped it.  He was happy that the kids got back together.  They didn't deserve the angst that he and Jackie and Forman and Donna went through.  It wasn't glamorous or cool.  It was a pain that Hunter and Megan DID NOT NEED in their young lives.  They deserved their happiness right from the start and they certainly didn't need to be fighting about their parents and almost risk losing their relationship over it.  He put his plate and fork in the sink and went upstairs himself with the whipped cream to surprise his Wife with. (She was sleeping, but she'd scream one of her delightful screams and it would result in a very intense and satisfying making love session.)   Those kids deserved the best and Hyde made a vow that night --as long as God gave him air to breathe he would make sure Hunter and Megan would not lose anything so precious again as their love for each other.   Hyde shook up the can as he opened the door to his and Jackie's guest room.  

Knowing that both Hunter and Megan were happy and back together life was good again.

  
  



	7. The Gift

Chapter 7

The Gift

     Hunter was only used to spending hours at a clip in art, book, comic, indie music, and vintage clothing stores but here he was at the Point Place mini mall with his money from his dishwashing job at the diner looking at jewelry Christmas present ideas for Megan.  He begged his Father to wake up early and asked if they could sneak out of the house and go out for breakfast because he didn't want his Mother making a fuss over him.  Normally, Hyde wouldn't have gotten out of bed after having such a late night having a whipped cream play fight with Jackie, but for his son and knowing how important this was for him he got out of bed, took a shower, and got dressed.  But he didn't sneak out of the house, he just kissed Jackie good morning and was still on his once a day heart medication as she was having morning coffee with Donna and said he was taking Hunter out.  He didn't even mention that their son and Megan got back together.  He was certain Megan when she woke up would tell everyone.  He gave Hunter an hour of free time, as he didn't want to spend all day in a mini mall during the holiday rush shopping and went to see if he could find something corny and sentimental for Jackie.  He already bought her real presents this was just a little extra.  There was only one thing Hunter wanted to buy for Megan, but he couldn't buy it this Christmas, and he didn't want to buy it at the Point Place mini mall.  He looked at the jewelry in the glass case.  The only jewelry Megan wore on a regular basis was her watch and her silver birthstone stud earrings. 

"May, I help you?"  asked the young sales woman, who wore fifties style pointed glasses.

"I'm just looking," then Hunter had an idea, for once they were going to dupe their parents, it wasn't malicious he just wanted them to have some privacy without their folks knowing everything, "Actually—I'd like to see the purple box."

It was the only purple box on the shelf.  He was so nervous about this. He hoped that the great and all-powerful Wizard of Hyde wouldn't be able to read it on his face when they met up in the food court in fifteen minutes.  For once he'd like his relationship with Megan to be private.   Just because they were teenagers it didn't give their parents the right to stick their noses in every little detail of it.  Not that he wasn't touched over their concerns during their brief break up, he only wanted something private with Megan that no one else would know about until the right time came for them to share the news.   Now Hunter's only concern was when they could have an alone moment for him to give his gift to her.  

"What do you think?"  the woman behind the counter asked him

He picked up the small box and handed it to her, "I'll take it, but no bag, please.  I can put it in my jacket pocket."

'Megan, would you—'

'Megan, will you—'

'Please say you will—'

Hunter nervously thought to himself before meeting up with Hyde.

It's Nice To See You Smile Again

     Eric was surprised that Megan wanted to spend the day Christmas shopping with him.  She didn't know Hunter went out with his Dad.  It made her happy that they thought alike even when they weren't aware of it.  They were in Kenosha because they had better stores and she wanted to get Hunter a special present.  They were in the card shop looking at the limited edition ornaments.  Eric was curious of how and when they got back together?  It didn't happen this morning because Hyde and Hunter were already out of the house.  It had to have happened last night.  He wondered if anything else happened last night?  His little girl was growing up too fast.   

"You should get this for Mom."  She pointed to the vintage typewriter ornament

"That's a good idea, but I won't take credit for it."  Eric kissed her on the head and grabbed one.  It was nice to see her smiling again.

"Can I go by myself to look for other gifts?"   Translation: I want to buy my present for Hunter without you there.

"Okay, but meet me by the water fountain in forty-five minutes.  Let's synchronize our watches."

'Dad, don't be a geek—well, you are a geek, but I love you anyway'  "Okay."

He trusted Megan, but it always made him feel uneasy letting her go wander off in a mall. There were a lot of psychos in the world who would try to take advantage of a girl in a wheelchair. But Donna Velcro taped a small whistle to the arm of her chair.  She never had to use it for a real emergency, only when she used to play with Hannah.  It felt odd that she didn't miss her.  She had spent most of her childhood playing with Hannah and they were 'best friends' but when she and Hunter found each other in THAT way Hannah Hyde did not matter anymore. And after her and Hunter broke up and she thought they would never be with each other again, it wasn't Hannah she thought of.  It was Hunter, with his loose dark wavy hair, green eyes, and most bashful smile that she missed.  She loved how he had his own clothing style and appreciated old clothes and of course his artistic talent.  She wondered when they were going to have sex for the first time?  Not sex, making love.  Sex was meant for quickies and but making love was forever.  She was nervous about the stuff in the "Enabling Romance" book.   Hunter would tell her "not to worry" but she would always worry about not being the kind of woman he deserved.  Juliet at the doctor's office made it sound so acceptably normal, but it wasn't.  If it were normal she wouldn't be paralyzed.  She loved Hunter with all of her heart and she didn't want to be without him. He was such a gentleman who didn't pressure on her to 'Do It'.  She did want him so badly and she didn't know when it would be the right moment for their first time.  She only hoped that it would make them stronger as a couple.  

        Once they returned back to the Forman house Hunter took the roll of wrapping paper, tape, and packet of bows that Donna offered and went upstairs to their master bedroom to wrap Megan's gift making sure to lock the door to keep nosy twin sister's and over excited Mother's out.  

"He's so cute," Jackie said, "Did YOU buy me anything, Steven?"

"You know how I feel about the crass commercialization of Christmas and other 

holidays."  Hyde said pretending to be interested in the newspaper.

"That means you did!"  She kissed him on the head, and went to get him something to drink.

"She's something."  

Donna said as she wrapped one of Megan's presents, a bottle of the only perfume she could wear that did not cause any allergies or rashes.   It cost two hundred dollars an ounce but Donna only bought it once a year.   It was called 

"Morning" and it smelled like the softest roses.  She liked it too, but she wanted it to be Megan's scent.

"Yeah, but I love her."  Hyde replied

"Aww! Steven, I should've brought you a beer for that!"  Jackie handed him a soda can.

"The soda's fine.  Sit down, Jackie—"

"I can't because Hannah decided that after you and Hunter left that she wanted to go shopping, but I was busy with Donna---"

"I'll take her."

"You just got back taking Hunter shopping."

"So?  Sit down.  Donna—make her relax."

"You know I like Christmas, Steven."  But not as much as she liked the sacred holy day known as St. Valentine's Day.

He took one more drink from the soda can before standing up, "Hannah,"  

She ran downstairs she knew her Father's battle cry.

"Are you taking me shopping, Daddy?"

"Yeah—are you ready?"

"I'll be ready in five minutes."  She ran back upstairs.

"Thanks, honey, I really didn't feel like driving her."  

Hannah did have her learner's permit but Jackie didn't know if she was allowed to drive out of state and since it was snowing she didn't want Hannah to drive in the lousy weather, either.

"I know."  He kissed her on the lips.  

Donna was slightly jealous.  Her and Eric were a comfortable routine ('whose fault was that?') they weren't spontaneous like Jackie and Hyde.  They didn't change much from when they were teenagers themselves, except Hyde opened up a little to Jackie and the kids.  Jackie was still perky, materialistic, and capitalistic but she had a care, compassion, and concern for her Husband and kids, Donna was still a writer who carried the feminist torch, and WAS Sgt. Donna, ('damn, that nickname stuck! thanks, tiffany.') and Eric was still impressed with Star Wars and other nerdy things who let himself be ordered around after they settled into a comfortable routine raising their daughter.  The last thing he did out of defiance was tell her that he WASN'T going to take her back if she bailed on adopting Megan.  She put the bow on the box and put it in the desk drawer, as this was to go in Megan's stocking like it always did.  

"Jackie, I think Eric and I are in a rut---Jackie---" Donna turned around to find that Jackie had fallen asleep on her sofa.

They would never divorce again, it hurt too much and not to mention how much it would devastate Megan, but sometimes being married was quite boring, it really was like being shackled, although Donna realized now that BOTH genders could say that they felt like a prisoner, it wasn't just the women who could use that reasoning anymore.  Since Hunter was upstairs in their room wrapping Megan's present, Donna decided to take a long hot bath in Megan's bathtub, she would just have to remember to reinstall her shower chair just incase she wanted to use it tonight.  She wished that her and Eric were better, more free spirited like it never really was but how you could convince yourself of how you thought it used to be.  When in reality deep down in your soul you knew better.

~Donna's flashback~

~after the ted nugent concert and a few days before the promise ring break up~

(note-my own take)

     Donna and Jackie were at The Hub after school.  They were alone and Donna was glad that the guys were not around.  She was in no mood to hear about Kelso's lunatic ramblings, Fez' whining about being a virgin, any of Hyde's conspiracies theories, and she didn't want to see Eric.  She was surprised that he wasn't glued to her hip but he had a dentist check up (author's note: I figured that could be a routine check up and on the show when eric is at the hub with kitty and donna comes drunk in with casey, that would have been the follow up visit for a filling or something to that effect.) and had to leave school early.  

"Donna!   Donna!  Hello, I'm talking about ME here!"  Jackie said

"W-what?  Did you say something, Jackie?"  Which seemed to be like asking 

if March followed February.  Jackie was ALWAYS talking.

"Are you okay?"

'Why does he have our roles so clearly defined?  Why is IT me he fell in love with?  Is Eric really in love with me? OR is it just because I'm the girl next store and it's convenient?'

"N-Y-I don't know."  Donna pushed her French fries away she couldn't eat another bite.

"Oh, I get it.  Did you and Eric have another spat?"

"We're like an old married couple and we shouldn't be that.  We're just kids, really."

"What did he do this time?"  Jackie asked

Sometimes Donna WAS the wrong one in these matters, but Jackie couldn't bring herself to tell Donna that, the lumberjack could kick her ass!  She did feel bad for Eric though.  Jackie always wanted to be married and have kids and Eric also wanted those things, which was rare in a guy so young, but Donna always had to act like Susan B. 'Damn' Anthony all the time and think that everything he did was against her.  And against all of modern womankind.  Not that Eric and the rest of the guys couldn't be sexist but most men grow out of that Neanderthal way of thinking once they finally realized how the real world works.  Still, Eric despite being scrawny and a bit of a geek in the A-V club loved Donna very much and he wanted to marry her and be the Father of their children.  What was so wrong with that?  Jackie thought that was most romantic.  If only Michael felt that way regarding her she'd be one happy popular cheerleader.

"Nothing specific.  He just doesn't want me to have an identity apart from being Eric'sGirlfriend as if it were one word.  I was bored and read one of my old short stories last night from when I was in Jr. High.  I totally forgot I wrote it.  The girl character is from Oregon and got a full scholarship at NYU but her boyfriend was against it.  That is SO Eric.  He thinks my job at the radio station cuts into his as he puts it his 'Eric time'.  He just doesn't think about MY feelings at all."

"Did you talk to Eric about this or just scream at him like you usually do?"  Okay, she could say that much, but she still put her body as far back on the chair as it could go hoping Donna wouldn't slap her with her giant hands.

"Jackie!  Whose side are you on?"

"It's not about sides.  If a relationship is going to work you have to have real intelligent conversations with your significant other."

"And just how many real intelligent conversations have you ever had with Kelso?"

"That was low, Pinciotti.  I know Michael is a doofus.  But Eric isn't, not really.  He really loves you.  Instead of being grumpy in here with me you should go home and see if he's back from the dentists yet."

"I'm sorry if I was rude to you, Jackie, and right now the last person I want to face is Eric," Donna looked at her watch, "I have to go to work now.  I'll call you later if you want to go to the mall or something."  So, she couldn't go to Eric's house to see if he was back home yet even if she wanted to.  But she didn't want to and that scared her tremendously.

"Donna! YOU want to go shopping?"  

"I know—better look out the window for the flying pigs."  Donna said, forcing herself to smile as she grabbed her school gear and ran out of The Hub.  

She he had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that herself and Eric were not going to be together much longer.

~End flashback~

     Hunter was probably the only guy he knew to actually like wrapping gifts; it was a sort of an artistic activity.  The wrapping paper was snow falling on a log cabin scene.  He took apart the bow with the nail scissors that were on the dresser and made these curled ribbons out of it.  The white ribbon matched the snow on the wrapping paper. Then he took a blue ribbon and did the same thing.   He couldn't wait to give Megan her present.  He had the scene all mapped out in his head; he just wished he could send all of the parents plus Hannah to Jupiter for the evening, as he wanted the moment to be private.  It had to be.   He stayed in the empty bedroom for a while to enjoy the peace and quiet.  He looked at the pictures on the end tables. On the table that housed the alarm clock was a picture of Donna, Eric, and Megan when she was three years old.  On the other end table there was a mini book of Star Wars quotes (guess who?)

and a more recent picture of Donna, Megan, and Eric from about a year ago. She was so beautiful.  He knew she didn't think so and that was just wrong because she had piercing blue eyes even if she couldn't see much out of them without her glasses on, her hair was light brown and when she would curl it, it made her even more attractive. And ever since he's known her she's always been independent, thanks to her parents making sure she didn't grow up to be dependant on others just because she was in a wheelchair. She was smart and funny and all he could think about was her sweetness.  He wondered when they were going to 'Do It' for the first time?  He wasn't going to pressure her; he just couldn't wait for their relationship to progress to that stage.  Hunter knew that she had reservations about it because of her handicaps, but all he wanted to do was be with her and he never saw Megan once and thought 'wheelchair'.  He thought of her as a whole person, even when they were just little kids and didn't care about each other in THAT special romantic way.  He grabbed the small wrapped box and held it in his hands as he lie down.  He was tired all of a sudden and he figured he might as well take a nap now because he wasn't going to wait for Christmas day to give Megan her present; he was going to do it tonight.  He fell asleep with Megan's present in his hands.  Dreaming of her. 

       Eric nervously looked at his watch and then around the perimeter again.  Megan was late.  Okay, she was only a minute and a half late.  But he still was ready to find a policeman.  

"I'm here, Dad!"  Megan called out from the opposite way.  She figured he had to be worried on her whereabouts when she was only a couple of minutes late!

Eric felt a sigh of relief.  "Did you get everything you wanted?"  

"Yeah."  She had two bags on her lap

"What did you get me?"  

She let him, like she did Hunter, push her chair.  If it made them feel like a part of things by 'helping' her out then she was only glad to let them do it.

"I can't tell you, Dad!"   

Megan had a small job helping a neighbor when she was thirteen years old, it was the only job she ever had so far in her young life.  She made a hundred dollars doing little odd jobs and doing what she could in helping around the house.  Eric put the money in a special account for her and she didn't touch it until today three years later, she was able to just spend the interest.  

"Aww, Megan, come on, did you buy me a blow up Darth Vader?"

"No!"  She laughed

"Can you give me a hint?  Just a tiny clue—"

"It's for you AND Mom."  

"Is it bigger than a breadbox?"

"I can't tell you, Dad."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, but can we eat when we get home?"

"You want to have lunch with Hunter, don't you? Okay, we'll just get something to drink in the van."

"And a hot pretzel."  Megan smiled

"It's nice to see you smile again, Megan, I've missed that."  Eric said

"Dad, stop, you're making me blush!"

"And that's a bad thing?  Can you give me another clue on my Christmas present?"

"Nope.  I want the pretzel sticks."  Her Mother never let her eat stuff like that when they went out, that was one of the reasons why that she liked going shopping with her Dad.

"With the cheese sauce, right?  Okay—what did you get Hunter?  I can be your secret squirrel.  You can trust your old man."

"I can't tell you that, either!  I want a root beer with my pretzel."

Eric put on a pretend sad face, "Fine.  You're no fun, Megan."

"Mom said you're cute when you whine."

"She did?"  He didn't think Donna thought much of him lately other than someone to take out the garbage.

"Yeah."

He wanted to ask his daughter 'When?' but he didn't want her to pick up on his and Donna's staleness, he wanted her to be young, in love with Hunter, and happy.  But romantic futures always go sour.  No one gets the happy ending.  No matter how noble the effort.   But he hoped the kids could be the exception to the cruelest of life's rules. 

Later

     Megan wheeled herself in her room when her and Eric got back from their shopping trip.  She was able to have her gift to Hunter wrapped and put in her drawer before he came down the ramp.  

"Megan, I missed you all day."  He kissed her on the lips

"Me too."  She motioned for him to sit on her lap

"I'd say we have about ten minutes before someone checks up on us, so we better make the most of it."

But after ten minutes of their soft making out went by they were still left alone.  

"Hmm, Hunter, why'd you stop?"

He kissed her on the cheek before getting up.    
  
"I can't wait any longer.  First, I have to say that you have to look at your present in a different way, it's sort of like our secret code---"

"Okay."  She replied in a happy nervous voice.

Hunter took the box out of his windbreaker pocket, he thought he and Megan could go for a stroll outside but he never got that far to ask her as they had kissed each other for a good solid ten minutes. He handed her the box.  She smiled before she even touched the wrapping paper.

"Don't open it yet.  I have something I'd like to say first."  He was so nervous; he thought he was going to have run to the bathroom before he started.

"What is it?"  she asked with a giggle

"Actually, open your present first---" He changed his mind.

Megan didn't want to ruin the pretty ribbons as she could tell he took them apart to make an even better decoration so she took them off gently and stuck them to her sweater.  It was a purple velvet jewelry box. She opened it slowly.  They were sterling silver lever back earrings with her birthstone in a small triangular dangly shape.  When Megan looked up she found Hunter on one knee and her heart started to pound rapidly in her throat.   He wasn't about to do what she thought he was going to do.  Was he?

"Megan Lynne Forman, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.  Will you marry me?"


	8. We Are Just Sixteen

Chapter 8

We Are Just Sixteen

(I don't have to tell you guys that it's a continuation of where Chapter 7 left off.  LOL)

     Megan's eyes teared up and she didn't want to take off her glasses because she wanted to see Hunter's beautiful face.  He was the most sweetest boy ever.  

"Hunter—"

"Can I say two things before you respond?"

"Sure."

"The reason for the earrings is—"

Megan had to interrupt him, as she knew why he proposed with earrings and what the secret code meant.

"I know why.  To fool our parents which is good because your Father might have another heart attack and my Mother will KILL me.  And Hunter, I love you, so much, really, but WE are just sixteen years old!"

He tried to smile, but just picturing their parents reactions made him almost reconsider the whole idea.

"I know.  I was hoping you'd like to have a long engagement.  I figure when I can progress from giving you engagement earrings to a proper engagement ring is when we'll both be ready."

"My Dad gave my Mom—it doesn't matter, we're us.  Yes, Hunter, I'll marry you—Someday."   They weren't that much older than Megan and Hunter but then Megan thought of all the problems they had and continue to have.  But she thought her Father's romantic proposal to her Mother at the water tower was beautiful.  

He sat on her lap so she could kiss him as the tears flowed down BOTH of their cheeks.  He gently took her glasses off so he could clean them with his shirttail he kissed her on the nose before putting them back on.  She wiped away his tears with her tender hand.

"Thank you, Megan.  You just made me the happiest young man.  May I?"  He held up the earring box

"Yes.  At least we don't have to hide this from Eric and Donna."

"Or Jackie and Steven."  

He took out her old earrings and put her new ones in, his touch was so soft.  He put her old earrings in the purple velvet box and threw them in the pouch in the back of her wheelchair.

"I can't believe you proposed!  Most guys our age don't even want to THINK about marriage.  While the girls think about it from the time we're little."

"I march to my own beat.  No one has checked up on us, yet."

"Are you complaining?"

"No, just observing."  He rested his head on her shoulder and played with her hair.

"Hunter, aren't you dying in that windbreaker?"

"I forgot I had it on!  I was going to take you for a stroll and propose outside.  But I kind of got sidetracked."  Even without the zipper up it was still too warm in the room to leave it on, he stood up and took off his jacket and threw it on her bed.

"Do you want to---"?

Before Megan could finish her sentence Donna called the kids from upstairs to tell them lunch was served.

"I knew that was bound to happen sooner or later.  By the way, what were you going to ask me?"  

"If you wanted to watch a movie?"

"Sure.  Do you think Sgt. Donna will let us take our food in the living room?"  Hunter asked

"Yeah, they'll probably want to sit around the table and talk.  I love my earrings and the thought behind them, thank you, Hunter."  

Before they got to the ramp he stood in front of her and bent down to kiss her.  

"I love you."  He whispered, as he didn't want the parents to hear.  He's said it before with them in the room and even mentioned it to them, but he didn't want them in on every waking moment between him and Megan.  Hunter was always big on privacy, but now even more so because of Megan.  

"I love you, too," She whispered back, "Do you want to push my chair?"

"Of course.  Let's see how long it takes for them to notice YOUR earrings."

"Your Mother will notice."  Megan said

Hyde and Hannah just got back from her shopping trip ten minutes ago, she gave Megan a dirty look, which Hunter saw as he tightened his grip on the bars of Megan's chair before releasing his hands.

"OH!  Those are pretty earrings," Jackie gushed noticing right away, "Is this your gift from Hunter?"

"Yes."  Megan blushed

"My boy has excellent taste."  Jackie hugged him; he tried not to push away.  He did love his Mother he just was not a public affection kind of person, except for when it came to Megan.  She made all of the difference.

"Very nice, son."  Hyde nodded

"You look very pretty, Megan."

"Thanks, Mom.  Where's Dad?"  They couldn't have lunch without him.

"I'm right here," Eric came through the kitchen door with a set of Christmas lights tangled up in his hands.

"You really ought to give it up, Forman."  Hyde happily smirked.

"You were supposed to help me, Hyde!"

Megan laughed, "I'll untangle you, Dad."

"Thanks, sweetie," He kissed her on the cheek, "Are those earrings new?"

"Yes, Hunter bought them for my Christmas present."

"They look sparkly on you," He smiled,  "What's for lunch?" 

Eric wondered how come it was his daughter who was untangling the Christmas lights from his hands and NOT his wife?

"We're cleaning out the refrigerator to make room for the Christmas food."  Donna said

Translation:  Make it yourself

"And Hunter, I went to the store earlier and I got you a carton of regular milk."

"Thanks, Mom.  What do you want to eat, Megan?"

"You don't have to make me a sandwich, Hunter.  I can do that myself.  There, Dad.  You're free."  She didn't realize how ironic that statement was to her Father.

"Thanks.  Hyde, let's say after lunch we put these lights up."

"Let's say we don't."  

Hannah sat quietly, wondering when someone would pay attention to her and not about stupid Megan and her stupid earrings that her stupid brother wasted his money on.

"Who wants a grilled cheese?"  Jackie asked

"That sounds good."  Hyde replied

"Ah-no Steven, you know the doctor doesn't like you to have cheese.  It's not good for your heart."

"Mom has the imitation healthy cheese."  Megan smiled as Hunter made a face.

"Oh, I bought real cheese at the store, too."

"I'll have one, Mom."  Hunter and Hannah said at the same time proving that even though they weren't on the best of terms either, that they still shared their twin bond.

"I'll have cereal."  Eric said

"How does that help clean out the refrigerator, Eric?"  asked Donna knowing that, that statement DID sound rather bitchy.

"By using the up the milk.  DUH."

"I had to throw away the milk because it was left open last night in your room, Megan."

"Sorry, Mom."

Hunter mouthed, "I'm sorry" to Megan.  He forgot to bring the milk back upstairs.  She smiled and mouthed, "Okay" to him back as Hyde caught the exchange between the two but pretended not to look as he knew his son was down there last night and he also knew the two of them made up last night but didn't tell anyone else, even Jackie, and that their argument was about THEM.  Everything was okay now so why screw the kids' future by bringing it up?

"And you didn't go to the store to buy some?"   Eric didn't know why he said it, but the words just came crashing out of his mouth.  After all Jackie WENT to the store FOR HER FAMILY.

"Eric, do you want me to go the store right now and pick you up a carton of milk?"  Donna asked frustrated

"No.  I'll have something else for lunch."

"Relax, Eric.  I'll make you a grilled cheese and you're not having one, Steven.  Not if you want to splurge on Christmas dinner."

"Here, Hyde."  Donna just made a whole-wheat tuna sandwich with healthy organic mayo for herself but she gave Hyde her plate she could easily make herself another one.

"Uh, thanks Donna."  

"Did you want a grilled cheese, Megan?"  Jackie asked, she liked cooking for a big Army of people.

"No.  I'll have some of Mom's."

"It won't kill you, Megan."

"Can you put it on Wonderbread?"

"Ask your Father."  

'Geez, Donna, like I won't share my bread with my own daughter!'

"You don't have to ask, sweetie."

"Hannah, you're very quiet.  Are you okay?"  asked Jackie

"I'm fine, Mom." 

Jackie looked at Hyde as the frying pan sizzled in the background. Donna and Eric were in full time bicker mood again and neither one of them was in the mood for it.

"Hyde, can I see you outside for a moment?"  Eric needed to get out of the house for some air in the worst way.

"Now?"

"Yes, it's important."

"You're coming back, Dad?"  Megan asked out of concern

"Of course, sweetie. Keep my sandwich warm, Jackie."

Hyde didn't mind leaving Donna's sandwich behind as he wasn't going to say anything, but it tasted gross and that was why when Jackie was asleep he would get up in the middle of the night and eat things that he knew he shouldn't. 

"Okay, Forman, what's your problem, man?"  Hyde leaned against the siding.

"This."  Eric pulled something out of his pocket that Hyde thought he'd never see again.  
  


"F***!  Tell me you haven't."

"I haven't.  I bought it last week, but I didn't take it.  Donna gets me so angry!"

"You've been off it for decades, man, why would you even think about going back?"

"I'm not going to use it, I just needed to carry it around in my pocket."

"After all your therapy and support groups which in my opinion I don't really agree with, but your mind can still justify carrying THIS sh** around.  You better be honest with me, Forman, is this the FIRST time since about twenty years ago that you bought it?"

"Yes, last week, after I had a fight with Donna, and after I came back from my support group meeting."  'How ironic, again.'

"Well, come with me."

"Where are we going, Hyde?"

"Away from the window.  Now get rid of it.  Because you aren't going back in the house with it.  And if you so much as buy it again, Jackie and I will not be coming back here anymore and YOU will not be welcome in our home anymore—do I have to remind you on what you DID TO ME?"  Hyde had the urge to slap, hit, punch, or kick him but refrained, probably because of the kids, including Megan, she would always be welcome in their house. 

"No," Eric put his head down, "I'm sorry. It was a weak moment."

"Get rid of it, Forman."

Eric opened up the vile and dumped the Cocaine in the snow.  It blended in perfectly.  He gave Hyde the empty container.

"I wasn't going to take it, honest, Hyde."   Eric pleaded

"And if you believe that then all of that therapy and all of those support group meetings you go to are really just a sham."  He would flush the container.  It was the least he could do.  It surprised him that he had it for a week and didn't use it but security blankets a [full] Cocaine vile do not make.

"Thanks."  Eric said quietly

"You can do me a favor, Forman."

"What?"

"When we get back in the kitchen look at your daughter and think for a moment on what kind of start she had in life before you think carrying around Coke in your pocket is a f***ing good idea."

"I know that I let Megan down—and myself—but Donna---"

"You two need to work out your problems," Hyde was tired, he shouldn't have to lecture Eric on not to do drugs, he was over fifty for Christ sake!  "After lunch, I'll help you with the lights.  It's too cold out here, let's go back inside."

Eric didn't know what to say in response, he felt like such a failure.

         Donna let Megan and Hunter take their soda when they finished their lunch into the living room so they could watch TV.  They couldn't lie down and cuddle but she could sit with him on the sofa and rest her head on his shoulder with a blanket draped over them.  

"This is nice."  She held his hand

Hunter smiled, "I know.  Sh**."

"What is it?"

"Megan, I didn't bring a sketchpad or pencils and when I was out shopping today my only thought was to buy your present."

He was in the mood to draw again. That made Megan very happy.

"I have printer paper in my room but I don't have colored pencils, just regular school pencils.  Do you want me to get it for you?"

"No, honey, you don't have to get up just to get me paper and a pencil." 

The fact that she was ready to take herself off the sofa, get into her wheelchair, go through the kitchen, down the ramp, and into her room just to get him some printer paper and pencils to draw with made his heart swell with pride.

"Are you sure? I don't mind."

"I'd rather we do this," He kissed her on the lips and didn't care if any of the parents walked through the door right now, "If that's all right with you, Megan?"

She put her hands on his cheeks, "No, it's not all right."  She laughed; she had a touch of the Forman sarcasm.

"You're going to get it, Megan!"

"Not if you get it first, Hunter!"  She hit him with a pillow

"Hey!"

"What are YOU kids doing in there?"  Donna opened the door to peek in on them, as they were getting a bit too loud.

"Nothing."  They replied in unison like the perfect angels they weren't.

"And Megan if you bust that pillow you will be buying me a new one."

"Yes, Mom."

Megan waited until the swinging kitchen door came to a full stop.

"They like to ruin our fun."  Hunter whispered

"I know.  Dad once ruined Grandpa Red's TV by putting a bowling ball through it and we can't have a little pillow fight."

"My Dad—well you know what he brought to the table."

Megan laughed, "So, how come we aren't allowed to have any fun?"

"It's what parents do," Hunter pulled her close, "Let's go back to kissing, it's one of my favorite activities."

"Mine too."  She blushed; between her Father and Hunter she was doing a lot of that all day.

Megan didn't realize that there was a volcano brewing in the kitchen and she was going to be caught in the middle of two people that she loved very much.

     The air in the room was so thick as Hyde couldn't finish his lunch.  He stood up and whispered something to Jackie who was trying to help out Donna by cleaning up, as she was the one who did most of the cooking today.  He figured they could take Hannah out, as he was sure Hunter would want to stay here and think he was sneaking kisses with Megan under the guise of "watching a movie".

He knew a big shouting match was about to take place in the kitchen and quite frankly he did not want to be caught in the throngs of it.  This was clearly Forman and Donna's problem.  

'F***, don't leave me, Hyde—and Jackie---alone with Donna'

Eric thought this wasn't the right time to have a big blow up as it was almost Christmas, didn't Megan deserve all the happiness that they could possibly give her?  Was it fair to her after feeling miserable for a month when her and Hunter were in their broken up mode that this also be tossed on her plate?  He figured not to say a word; maybe it wouldn't explode if he didn't say a word.  He took his plate to the sink; he hardly touched the sandwich Jackie made.  He thought to wrap it up, as he didn't want Donna to scream at him over "wasted food".  

"How dare you, Eric."  Donna began

'Oh, sh**.'  "How dare I what?"  

"You son of a bitch!"  She pushed him

"I can see where this is heading.  Need I remind you, Donna, that our daughter is in the living room?"

"DON'T YOU even think of using her as an excuse."

"You are doing a lot of screaming but you AREN'T telling me anything.  Which is unlike you as you like to point out every little thing that I do wrong."

"Why did you talk to Hyde and NOT TO ME?"  She pushed him again, backing him into the wall.

"I—" He started to say, but Donna cut him off much like when a Mother asks her child 'why did you do that?' And when the child starts to reply the Mother stops them before they get a chance to defend themselves.

"I found your Coke, Eric.  For some reason, I didn't dispose of it myself, thinking you would do the right thing.  WHY?  After all these years WHY would you bring it back into our lives?"

"I DIDN'T take it, Donna.  I just NEEDED to possess it."  He ran his fingers through his hair.

"What kind of f***ing lunacy is that?!"

"Donna, do we need to have this fight right NOW?  I KNOW it was wrong.  And I know there are OTHER things on your mind besides this regarding our marriage.  But I want our daughter to have a nice holiday, please.  Don't you want that, too?"

"F*** YOU!"  

She pushed him once more grabbing her coat that was on the chair by the telephone, before running outside as she didn't want to run into the living room and ruin Megan and Hunter's make out session.  They were only going to be young once and Donna didn't have the heart to explain to her daughter that no matter how much you try it always goes downhill with the man you love.

"Daddy," Megan wheeled herself into the kitchen, "Did you and Mom have a fight?" 

She debated for a good five minutes as to whether or not she should go in the kitchen or not, Hunter told her she should go if she wanted to.

"Yes, but just a small one, lollipop," Eric knew he couldn't lie to her, he went over to her and hugged her tight, "Don't you worry about anything, Megan, we both love you, and you are going to have the best Christmas ever."  

"O—kay."   She almost had trouble getting the word out of her mouth.

"Everything will be fine," Eric kissed her on the head, "I'm going to talk to your Mother right now."  

Megan watched him as he went out the back door without his coat.

"Megan, is everything all right?"  Hunter came in after a few minutes.

"No.  Sit on my lap, Hunter."

She needed his shoulder to cry on.  He hugged her tight.

He almost repeated word for word regarding what her Father said, "Don't worry about anything, Megan.  I love you."  He kissed her softly on the lips and held her as she cried on his shoulder.

"I love you, too, Hunter."

The only thing that Megan Forman was sure of at the moment was her undying love for Hunter Hyde.  

"Do you want to go back to watching the movie?"  he whispered, a few moments later. 

"No, I just want you to hold me--tighter—and Hunter can you promise me one thing?"

"Anything, Megan."  
  
"Promise me that you'll never let me go?"  She made it a question.

"I promise," he hugged her as tight as he could and still be tender, "I will always promise that."   He kissed her on the head.

'We are just sixteen, it's not fair that we have to carry our parents burdens as well as our own.'~M.F.


	9. My Name Is Megan Forman

Chapter 9

My Name Is Megan Forman

(Author's note—Thanks to everyone for reading my story, I know I like to write angst and drama but only because I suck at comedy, besides taking an online comedy course a few years ago.  I wanted to do something different for this chapter, like a POV but different.)

Set up:  Jackie gave Megan one of her Christmas presents early, a purple leather bound diary that had her initials in white gold.  This chapter is what Megan wrote in her diary between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 2015.

December 24, 2015

9AM

     My name is Megan Lynne Forman. I wish I could say I started this diary in a good mood.  But, despite Hunter  (He's my fiancée—ssh diary.  He's the son of Jackie and Steven Hyde) being wonderful, I'm not in a good mood.  My Father, Eric Forman, is in bed with the flu he caught by running after my Mother, Donna Pinciotti-Forman without his coat on after they had a terrible argument in the kitchen yesterday afternoon.  My Father came back twenty minutes later soaking wet from the sleet as Hunter was comforting me in the kitchen.  He looked so sad, like a piece of him was missing.  And a piece was.  My Mom.  I asked my Dad where Mom was and he said she needed to be away for a while.  He started sneezing and coughing and Hunter helped him upstairs while I put the teakettle on for him.  My Mother has a history of treating my Dad like sh**.  I have done research on the '70s not just for school reports but for my own peace of mind to see if my parents stories about "their time" were exaggerated or not.  My Mother was a teenager when the modern women's movement hit, there was a buzz in the air that the ERA was going to be ratified (It wasn't) and that women like my Mom had options and didn't want their lives defined by rings on their fingers and babies in cribs.  They wanted to wear thick shoulder pads in their baggy blazers as they walked to the office in running shoes and changed into their high heels when they got there.  They didn't want to take last names or if they did they made sure to hyphenate them.  Which doesn't make sense to me considering their original surnames were just their FATHERS anyway.  They were the teenagers of Title IX who didn't have to be satisfied with just being a cheerleader. (Tell that to Jackie!) They were the ones who anticipated the first issue of Ms. Magazine, who didn't want to wear make up if they didn't want to.  In that context you can see how doors that were never opened before to women were starting to open up for women in my Mom's generation.  Dad has admitted many times that he was "kind of sexist", he would never have refused My Mom to work, it's not like he'd have kept her bound and gagged.  Some men have that "cavemen mentality" banged in their heads, and the good ones, like my Dad, grow out of it and with the way the cost of living is today, they are more than happy to have the women join them in the workplace as it takes two jobs nowadays just to pay all of the bills and still have enough spending money for recreation.  Still, though all that doesn't change the here and the now.  Hyde and Jackie have to get OUR Christmas tree because Dad is in bed with a fever and My Mom is God only knows where.  My former best friend, Hunter's twin sister, Hannah is sulking in her guest room.  There's nothing to say about her that one sentence couldn't take care of.  I didn't even get to give Hunter his present yet.  We're going out for a winter stroll in a few minutes.  When I was getting dressed in my bathroom this morning, Hunter decorated my wheelchair with unused poly ribbon in blue and white that way it wouldn't look silly after the holiday's, knowing the fact that he did it to make me feel better and not just to satisfy his artistic side means a lot to me.  I wish we weren't sixteen so we could get married and start our lives together.  I think Jackie can tell that I'm writing about Hunter as she keeps smiling at me.  I'm going to lock this diary shut and go upstairs to check on my Dad before Hunter and I go out.  I love my Dad more than my Mom and not just because of this argument either.  I just love him more.  He's fun and a Star Wars geek and we eat junk food together.  The only time he has really ever yelled at me was when he caught Hunter on top of me on our sofa and when we ran off to Tiffany's (Jackie's daughter from her first marriage) penthouse apartment in NYC but I don't want to get into that right now.  I just want to be with Hunter and forget about my problems for a little while.  

M.F.

11AM

    Guess where my Mother is?  When Hunter and I came back from our stroll, Jackie made me wear a hat, scarf, gloves, and made sure my coat was buttoned up to the top button before I could even leave the house. Hunter did look adorable in his (vintage.  What else?) navy blue pea coat with the toggle closure. He did wear his white scarf (talk about gorgeous!) and leather navy gloves but the hat always stayed in his coat pocket.  Oh, right---I lost track, I'm supposed to talk about my Mother.  When Hunter and I were taking our winter gear off to get ready for the Swiss Miss, we heard Jackie tell Hyde that she got a phone call and my Mom is staying at the Days Inn on Franklin where the old K-Mart used to be.  Is she expecting Dad to come to her?  He's sick!  And even if he weren't, I don't know if he would.  I can't write anymore, I'm too angry.

M.F.

11:30AM

     Hunter and I are keeping Dad company, he said in his scratchy voice that it's not necessary, I tell him yes it is, otherwise they never would have my ramp lead upstairs.  He has a 102-degree fever, he doesn't want me in the room, he thinks I'll get sick, and while I can be susceptible to colds, It's not as bad as when I was little.  I don't want to leave him although all Dad does is cough and sneeze, he can't keep any food or drink down.  Jackie came up to check his temperature again and made Hunter and me leave.  Getting the flu myself is worth kissing my Dad on the cheek for.  Hunter and I are going to watch TV and that really means we're only going to sort-of watch TV. –Wink—I love making out with him, ignorant people assume that people in wheelchairs don't have sexual needs and desires, believe me, we do.  The wheelchair is irrelevant.  His touch is not.

M.F.

6PM 

After dinner

     We just finished dinner.  Hyde went to the pharmacy earlier to pick up my Dad's prescription.  (They couldn't get it earlier because his Dr. screwed up and had the medicine under the last name of 'Folger' and not 'Forman'.  It took the pharmacy that long to figure out the error.  Thank god he wasn't dying!  Talk about stupid.)  I don't want to decorate the tree it's the first year that everything around here is different. (Well holidays did change when all the Grandparents died)  Dad is upstairs in and out of a restless sleep waking up only to throw up.  Mom is at the Day's Inn supposedly 'finding herself' (again).  Hunter sits me on the sofa, holiday decorating really isn't his thing, and he'd rather make the decorations not hang them up.  Hyde doesn't like the materialistic part of Christmas but I can tell he loves being with Jackie, Hunter, and Hannah that he puts up with Jackie's perkiness and the annoying non-stop airplay of the worst Christmas songs ever on the radio.  I can't do the tree without Dad helping me put the Star on top.  (It got harder the bigger I got but he always found a way to bring the tree to me or vice versa).  Jackie put up the decorations my Mother didn't get to and I don't like where her and Hannah are putting them because they're putting them in the wrong places.  I can't watch anymore of this and am about to ask Hunter to help me in my chair. I need the chivalry.  I never have to ask him, I just feel like it.  I want to give him his Christmas present now.  I wish I could say I thought of proposing to him, but I didn't.  More later.

8PM

     That was a long later, diary!  But were kind of busy making out.  He has a great soft touch.  He surprised me by turning on my stereo and putting it on the classical station, if he had to hear Christmas Carols he had to hear them the way they were originally intended.  I told him that didn't sound like him.  And he said in a cute voice, "Consider it the original vintage."  I got him two presents and the look on his face when they opened them was just what I needed.  He put on the black and white Adidas '70s hooded sweatshirt over his blue and white button down shirt as soon as he unwrapped it.  He talked about stripes, logos, and England football (soccer) teams.  After not being able to draw for a while he was over the moon over the small sketchpad and pencil set I bought him.  I knew he was in the mood to draw earlier but I wanted to save the surprise for Christmas Eve, I felt bad thinking that maybe I was being selfish, but told me not to think like that and we spent the next two hours making out.  I almost told him to put me on the bed and we could try to 'Do It', but obviously with his parents directly upstairs not to mention how guilty I'd feel with my sick Father in his bed that I didn't say anything.  But it was the first time I felt ready for making love.  He had to go help his Dad with something and I took a bath (thinking of Hunter the whole time) and put on the sweatshirt my Dad got me from our trip to St. Louis a few years ago, I put on my gray drawstring pants, and those stupid Yoda socks.  Two of the men I love very much is in this house. (Don't get me wrong, I love Hyde too, like I love Jackie, but that's a different kind of love.) It's great that I have a close relationship with my Dad; a lot of kids at my school hate their Dads. I don't.  I love my Dad.  And Hunter—He is the love of my life.  My fiancée.  I still can't believe it!  I pictured my wedding and my Father "walking" me down the aisle in my beribboned in white wheelchair to present me to Hunter in the most dapper black vintage suit.  I could picture Jackie with her hair up and pretty dress, Hyde in a nice suit, Tiffany in a sexy dress, and Hell even Hannah, but I couldn't picture my Mom in attendance at all.

December 25, 2015

1AM

     I just spent the better part of forty-five minutes crying into my fiancées (The more I write it the more that it's become my new favorite word) arms.  He tried not to wake me and even though I didn't have my hearing aid in I still heard the vibration of something go "thump" on the floor.  Mom came by.  Who is she all of

a sudden?  Santa Claus?  Hunter was on his way to get a glass of water when he heard my Mother talk to Jackie, but he didn't stick around to eavesdrop.  He waited for my Mom to leave, which was at like twelve thirty in the morning.  Apparently, she just came by to get some clothes (I hope Daddy was asleep or locked in the bathroom) and to put my presents out.  Which was what I heard Hunter bring down the stairs in a brown shopping bag.  I don't want the presents from Donna.  Even my perfume.  If she bought it or thought about it, then I don't want it.  Although, I did want to wear my perfume for Hunter, but not if SHE bought it and it's very expensive. I don't know what she's trying to accomplish.  I told him to lie next to me in my bed again.  And I just softly cried in his shoulder.  He holds me in his strong yet tender arms.  He's still wearing his sweatshirt and he had changed into his jogging pants.  He makes me feel so good.  When he kisses me and wishes me a "Merry Christmas", I believe him for a split second.  I wished him the same.  He stayed with me until I fell asleep again, but then I woke up a half hour later to use the bathroom figuring I better write this down while it's still a part of recent history.  I'm going to give my Dad his present. (Well one of them, the other one, the one I made a big deal about in the mall, I can't.) And it's all Moms' fault.

M.F.

2:30AM

Who can sleep?  Poor Daddy still has a fever.  He didn't mention Mom and I didn't want to, so I didn't. I kissed him on the cheek and wished him a Happy holiday and I gave him my present.  He smiled like he never expected to receive a gift today.  That was probably the flu talking.  I opened up the gift for him it was a plate for his cell phone.  He has about fifty of them.  I couldn't find any Star Wars ones.  So, I got him the red, white, and blue American flag motif.  He smiled, said he loved me, kissed me, and fell right back to sleep.  Jackie caught me in here again and told me to go to bed and that my Father needs his rest.  She kissed me and wished me a Merry Christmas.  I don't see what's so f***ing merry about it.

M.F.

8:30AM

     Since it was already bought and paid for I made sure the pay-per-view channel was on for Dad's Star Wars marathon.  Hunter brought up the orange juice and sat with my Dad and me.  He drank a little of the juice and fell in and out of sleep.  Jackie made a big breakfast and I suppose I am going to have to eat something.  I didn't want to, but I know Dad would want me to.  So, I'll kiss him on the cheek and tell him that I'll see him later.

M.F.

9:20AM

    The gifts from Donna are still a no-no but I lied to Jackie and Hyde that I opened them earlier.  They don't need to know.  I got the diary yesterday from Jackie and the combined "Jackie and Hyde" gift was some charms for my bracelet.  (Do you really think Hyde picked that out?! Well, he might have as he did buy Hannah a pinky ring with her initial on it in mini script). Another "M", the computer one was cute though, and the horse.  Of course the only present that really matters, apart from what Dad got me, but I want to open the gifts from him when he's more coherent, are my engagement earrings from Hunter.  Infact, he's just one cute package himself!  Jackie politely asked me if I wanted to help her and Hannah (blah!) in the kitchen, so I better.  It'll keep my mind occupied and I think Hunter and Hyde should do the Father-Son thing.  They're so cute together.  They really are two sides of the same coin.  

M.F.

11:17AM

     Dad sat up even though he has a splitting headache.  He's amazed that I want to watch Star Wars with him.  I told him not to talk his voice is scratchy.  He ate a couple spoonfuls of chicken soup and I couldn't believe that Jackie didn't kick me out of the room.  I'm not going to get sick.  (I hope I won't get sick).  After a few moments go by since he can't go downstairs my Father uses his cell phone to call Hyde (he's so crafty!) on the house phone.  He wants to see him.  I asked my Dad if he wanted me to go away and he said, "I never want you to go away".  The truth be told, I didn't want to be in the room when Hyde came up.  Here he comes now, because I know what he's going to ask.  He's going to ask about Mom.  My poor Daddy's eyes got downcast when he realized she wasn't downstairs with Jackie or in a guest room but rather in the Day's Inn across town.  

Hyde also told my Dad about Santa Donna's visit in the middle of the night.  Hyde was all matter of fact; you could tell he didn't to be involved in this.  And rightly so.  They finished up their conversation and Hyde smiled at me before

he left the room.  Writing stop.  

I'm back I had to push my chair up to the bed and take myself out so I could sit next to my Dad, I told him if he needed a shoulder to cry on, that I was here for him.  He smiled, hugged me, and told me he loved me.  Before he fell asleep again, I think that was only partly from the flu and more from a broken heart.  Damn her.

M.F.

  
12:10PM

   Hunter and I have not been able to make out at all.  That really sucks.  Jackie is thrilled because of the Christmas present that Hyde hid in the kitchen for her.  Her present was 5'5" and 105 pounds.  Because Tiffany had to leave the morning after Thanksgiving, Jackie was miserable so Hyde worked his magic and even though Tiffany had more money than everyone here, Hyde still flew her in as part of her Mother's present.  Jackie couldn't stop hugging and kissing her, which made Hunter smile a little because he didn't like to be pawed.  (Except by me.)

She went upstairs to see Daddy.  It was easier to relate to my Dad then it was for her to relate to Hyde.  Hunter is not interested in this football game; of course, I don't think Hyde is, either.  Hannah couldn't stop brushing her hair with her NEW Mason-Pearson brush.  She's showing off and I want to run her over.  We can't touch each other with his Father sitting in MY DAD'S chair.  Hunter put his hand on my knee and even though I can't really feel anything there my heart feels it.  Naughty boy.  Before dinner and seeing Dad again, there's something I have to do.  I tell Hunter that I'll be back.

M.F.

1:45PM

     I was surprised on how hungry I was.  Jackie is an excellent cook.  You'd never know it by listening to them talk about themselves and how they were in the olden days.  It was kind of like Thanksgiving dinner except it was chicken and not turkey.  And some of the side dishes were different.  Jackie didn't have time to make the homemade cranberry sauce so she had to use the kind in a can that comes out in the shape of the can until you slice it.  (That was my job).  I hated looking over to where my Dad is supposed to be and Hannah thought she could sit there!  I made sure to save him some cranberry sauce by taking more than two slices that way I can put it in one of those paper bowls for him.  I can't remember any of the dinner conversation except for Jackie pestering Tiffany on her love life and Hyde adding his two cents in just by mentioning Jackie's name.  Like that's going to stop a Mother!  Hunter and I sneaked each other "I want to make out with you" looks.  I like his little eating habits.  It's corny what you notice about someone else.  He cuts all the chicken before he eats it, instead of cutting a piece, then eating, then cutting another, etc. But if it's the slightest bit pink he won't touch it.  My Mom takes the flavor out of food by making sure it's flavorless in the first place then she puts these healthy touches on it to make it 'flavorful'

in ways that no one likes.  No wonder my Dad is so skinny!  But he was always that way.  If it weren't for Hunter, I'd have wished my Dad married Jackie, when it comes to family, they really have a lot in common.  Mashed potatoes who knew would actually be complimented by REAL butter?  Hunter wanted the last drumstick but Hyde playfully put a fork in his hand.  Jackie made a homemade apple pie.  We all laughed when she put the fork in Hyde's hand and just said his name.  Hunter especially enjoyed that.  I'm in my room writing all this down and Hunter is sitting at my desk drawing in his sketchpad that I got him.  I wonder why are we doing this when we have the perfect opportunity to make out?  Bye.

M.F.

6:45PM

     A lot has happened since my last entry.  It started out to be a decent holiday as the hours went on.  Dad liked the cranberry sauce and was able to keep it down; he said it helped his throat.  His temperature dropped to 100 but he still couldn't break the fever.  But at least the medicine was helping Eric Folger.  LOL.

He told me my gifts from him were in the closet in a blue bag and he felt well enough to watch me open them.  I didn't need the gifts; I just liked being with my Dad.  Hunter was downstairs at the time.  In no particular order—I do think there would have been more presents from him (and I don't mean that in the greedy way, because I'm not like that, it's just an observation.) but due to my Mom being a bitch and my Dad being sick there wasn't.  My first present was a nice lavender sweater—I don't think he realized the buttons were make out friendly.  I'll have to wear this tomorrow; maybe it'll give Hunter IDEAS.  Well, I'm sure Hunter already has the ideas; he's just too shy to act on them. I have to work on that.  The second was very cute it was a homemade item that Dad got on Ebay it was a little booklet written by the daughter of a Star Wars fanatic called:  Your Geeky In A Galaxy Far, Far Away Parent:  The 1001 Reasons Your Father Eric (that part was personalized in blue Sharpie) Loves Star Wars.  It made me smile.  Next box was a new phone.  I had asked for one for a year now but Mom's philosophy is, if it's not broken, why get a new one? I needed this for calling Hunter, I hope he got a great long distance calling plan, but he's still sick, I'll ask him later. The fourth gift was another charm for my bracelet.  It was a silver kitten.  And the last present was the start of the real tears; at least in the beginning they were the happy kind.  It was Grandma Kitty's keepsake heart box.  We had our corny card family moment.  I had put all the presents back in the bag and was ready to go downstairs. When SHE walked in.  My hands are shaking just writing about what happened next.  I coldly said something like isn't it too late to come in here to wish us a Merry Christmas?  I expected a remark on my smart mouth or a slap upside the head.  But there wasn't.  I felt I had to do the talking because I didn't want Dad to get any more upset.  I asked Mom what last night was about?  Was she just here to pick up more clothes?  I didn't tell her that I threw her presents in the garbage.  A part of me wanted to speed away so I could be with Hunter and the other side of me wanted to stay because this woman was great at doing a number on my Dad.  I know he's not perfect.  Like that old Nancy Sinatra song she could just walk all over him. That's when I lost it.  I STARTED TO CRY.  Because I didn't want her to hurt my Daddy anymore.  I mean I REALLY CRIED.  Dad tried to calm me down despite me shouting for her to go back to the motel.  Hunter ran up the stairs and even then I felt as if I was out of my body and even he couldn't help me.  The only thing I remember saying was screaming at her to GO AWAY and to NOT HURT MY DADDY ANYMORE. And the reason that I couldn't give him my real Christmas gift was because it was a gift certificate to the Vineyard for a ROMANTIC DINNER FOR TWO. I wasn't paying attention as I was too upset, so when I tried to get in the bed with my Dad to hug him; I only got half way out of the chair and was stuck, which in another circumstance would have been really hilarious. Hunter helped me back my wheelchair.  I can't even remember if Jackie and Hyde were there by now or not.  Dad cried because I was sobbing.  He got out of bed despite being sick and hugged me tight, wiping my tears away, and told me that he loved me very much, but he needed to talk to Mom in private.  I told him that I loved him, too.  Hunter gave me some tissues and helped me downstairs.  I remember Jackie and Hyde being in the doorway then.  Dinner was on the table but who could eat?  I couldn't.  I forced some bread down and drank some water, but then I went downstairs to write this entry after Hunter and I had cuddled in bed for a while.  

He whispered in his already quiet voice that he was sorry and that he loved me and wished he could take away all this pain for me.  He gave me the pencil drawing that he finished earlier it was a horse.  I do like horses and the freedom that they represent.  So, I tacked it to the wall next to my calendar.  I didn't feel like crying anymore.  I don't like to cry.  But I only cried because I don't want my Dad to get hurt by Mom (again).  They've been up there for a very long time.  No one has come by to check on us.  We probably could've 'Done It' and no one would have noticed.   I hope Dad is okay.  I want to check on him, but I'm very scared all of a sudden.  I don't know what's worse, if they work it out or if they separate?  I want to stop writing but I can't.  Hunter fell asleep so in-between writing I put my fingers through one of his loose waves and loop it around.  I don't want him to leave in January.  He's my one constant.  I think my Dad and I would have been extremely happy if Donna did bail when I was a baby in the hospital.  Due to the special program he was chosen for I don't think it would have been held against him if she split.  My birth Mother was heavily addicted to drugs and I was born severely addicted and that's why I have all the medical problems that I have.  I try not to dwell on it.  What can I do?  My Dad got addicted to Cocaine after his first marriage to my Mom failed.  He was dependent on it big time.  I can't believe Hunter and I almost lost everything fighting over (sorry I'm overlapping stories, but it's my diary!) Mom's affair with Hyde (that was pre everything!)—Daddy almost killed Hyde in a fit of rage and my Dad is not a person that is full of rage and malice.  He was under a Coke spell.  It took a very, very long time for them to get their friendship back.  Hyde was in a coma and in the hospital for a very long time; he likes to joke about how it was Jackie babbling nonsense in his hospital room that woke him up.  Hunter has the sweetest face; he's so adorable sleeping.  I could look at that face for a lifetime and everyday see something new in it.  It's still a little early to take a bath and put my sleeping clothes on, and I don't want to disturb Hunter.  I really want to go up there and see my Daddy, but I'm still frightened if Big Red The Wicked Witch is still up there or not.  Doesn't it speak volumes that she didn't come downstairs to talk to me? To soothe me?  I never knew my Grandma Midge because she walked out on Mom and Grandpa Bob.  I wish my Mother who always had these itches to bail, even before I was born, would just own up the fact that she's a natural born runner.  She tries to repress it because she doesn't want to be like her Mom.  But she IS just like her Mom.  Christmas 2015 wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be a happy, occasion with the Forman-Hyde families. (Despite my bad feelings for Hannah.)  Dad was supposed to sing goofy Christmas songs off key while Hyde would be happily annoyed and would throw popcorn at him.  Mom was supposed to be THERE and hanging with Jackie.  And Hunter and I shouldn't have these burdens.  Damn, it's bad enough we are a mixed couple.  With me being handicapped and him not.  I'm going to wrap this up because I'm running with words.  But I'm not a runner.  I like to face each day.  I'm going to wake Hunter up in a few minutes by kissing him tenderly.  Then we'll practice our foreplay because I really don't think we're going to get checked on tonight at least not for a while.  Then when I take a bath and will unfortunately have to tell Hunter he can't stay.  I'll tell him to go upstairs and see what he can find out for me regarding Sgt. Donna Dill hole.  I hope Daddy is okay.  I will see him later, I just am afraid of what's waiting for me up there.  What he's going to tell me about Mom.  It won't matter much because my image of her on these last few days is etched into my brain permanently.  We talked about trust a lot after my and Hunter's sofa incident and jaunt to NYC, well you know what?  There shouldn't be one rule for kids and another set for adults. No one likes double standards.  And my Mother is going to have to PROVE TO ME that she can be trusted.  Not for my sake, because at this writing I really don't care about my Mom at all.  But for my Dad's sake, he never deserved a loveless marriage such as the one he put himself into, not once, but twice!  He deserves much better than Donna. I'm so scared to face tomorrow, but I know, I will.  I still like to face each day.  

M.F.  


	10. Marriage Is

Chapter 10

Marriage Is

     Eric went down the ramp to Megan's room at ten o'clock because she had told Hunter that she wanted to go to bed early and although he was worried about her as it wasn't like her not to want him to cuddle her, he respected her wishes, kissed her, told her he loved her, and would see her tomorrow in the morning.  He was tired himself and couldn't wait to go to bed, either.  He just wished that they could share a bed. It was a LONG day.  Megan was about to take out her hearing aid and take off her glasses when she saw her Father come down the ramp.

"Daddy!  You're still sick!  You should be in bed."

He turned his head to sneeze, "I know," he grabbed a tissue from the box on her desk, "but I wanted to talk to you."

"I wanted to come up and see you, but---"

"You don't have to explain it to me, Megan.  I understand," He sat on the bed.

"But you don't ever have to be afraid in your own home."  He kissed her forehead

"Is Mom STILL here?"  Megan asked with disdain in her voice.

"That's what I came down here to talk to you about, sweetie," Eric coughed, as made sure to turn his head and cover his mouth, "Your Mother, once we get our house back, will be sleeping in one of the guest rooms."

'Where's she sleeping now, the garage?'

"Are you two getting a divorce?"

"No, we're going to TRY to work out our problems.  I think she is only letting me sleep in the master bedroom due to the fact my cold germs are all over the place."

Megan slightly smiled, "I don't know what to say, Dad.  Mom is not my favorite person right now."

Eric brushed the hair out of her eyes with his hand, "Despite what you are feeling, I hope that you realize that your Mother loves you.  And she still is your Mother, so don't think you can shut her out, because I won't have that."  He replied softly.

"Okay."  She replied in a dry tone.

"Your Mother was hurt that you threw her presents in the garbage.  I can't say that I can't blame her."

"I'm sorry, but SHE GETS ME SO ANGRY!"

"Believe you me, I CAN very much relate to that.  But give your Mom a chance.  Because even though we're going through our own issues—it has nothing to do with us being your parents, I hope you don't think I'm being too harsh with you, Megan, because you know that I love you, dearly.  It meant a lot to me to see how much that you do care for ME, but NOT at the expense of your Mother.  You have TWO parents NOT one, remember that."

"Okay, Dad."  

Megan LOVED her Father very much, but she didn't know if she could actually say right now that she loved her Mother at all, despite everything he said to her.  

"I'll let you sleep.  I know this wasn't the best Christmas ever, I never should have said that, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Dad.  Your heart was in right place."

He gave her a small hug and kissed her on the cheek.  He had to break free so he could turn his head and sneeze.

"Bless you!  Dad, you need to get back in bed yourself!"

"I know.  Nurse Jackie is trying to chase me around with a thermometer."

"ERIC!"  She ran down the ramp.

Megan laughed; it felt good to do so.

"Get your ass back in bed!  I don't want you getting Megan sick, who in turn will get my baby Hunter sick with all of the kissing that they do!"

"JACKIE!"  Eric and Megan said in unison, as Megan's cheeks blushed crimson

Before Eric could get up, Jackie stuck the thermometer in his ear.

"One hundred!  That's STILL a fever.  Get to bed, Eric."

"Shouldn't you be with your Husband right now?"

"Yeah, I should, he's in the shower right now! But you aren't getting Megan sick, scrawny man!"

Megan made the same face as her Father; they didn't need to hear about Jackie wanting to join Hyde in the shower!

"Okay, okay," He turned his head to cough as he covered his mouth, "Night, lollipop. Love you," Sometimes, he STILL needed to call her that. "And remember what I told you about your Mother."  he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah, okay. Night, Daddy, get better. I'm sorry that you didn't get to enjoy your Star Wars marathon.  Love you.  Night, Jackie."  

"Don't worry about it, sweetie.  They're ONLY movies."

Megan raised her eyebrow; she couldn't believe her Father, Mr. Forman-Skywalker had just said that!

In the grand scheme of things it really meant nothing, and Eric knew that, he ALWAYS knew that.  They were JUST movies.  

"Goodnight, Megan.  Are you going to be dreaming about my son?"  

Eric rolled his eyes as he drudged back up the ramp coughing and sneezing.

"JACKIE!  That's embarrassing.  I'm going to turn my hearing aid off on you."

"You know I'm only teasing you, honey."

"I know.  Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Megan, what's on your mind?"

"Where's my Mother sleeping?"

"On the living room sofa."  

For a brief moment Megan almost felt sorry for her Mother.  Almost.  The disdain was still there.

"Oh," Megan was too wound up to sleep now, "Is Hunter asleep?"

"Yeah. As soon as his head hit the pillow.  I wished the holiday was better for you two.  It sucks when parents fight."

"I know, I'd rather not talk about that, Jackie.  I'm kind of tired now," She lied

"Okay.  Goodnight, Megan.  I'll make everyone a big breakfast tomorrow."

"Night, Jackie.  Thanks again, for the diary."

"You're welcome.  A girl needs a place to write her private thoughts in."  Jackie couldn't help but tuck her in and kiss her on the forehead. She loved being a Mother.

Megan took out her hearing aid and placed it on the end table before removing her glasses.  She held one of her pillows as she thought of Hunter for a few minutes before slumber finally did catch up to her.  She hoped tomorrow would be a better day.

Half Way

       Megan fixed the buttons on her new sweater as she sprayed what was left of her perfume.  She knew there was a new bottle waiting for her upstairs with the rest of her Donna gifts.  She didn't want to face her Mother, but she knew that she had to.  And not just because of what her Father said either.

"Good morning, Megan."  Hunter seemed to have a spring in his step.

"Morning, Hunter."  

He sat on her lap and kissed her good morning on the lips.

"Is SHE UP?"  Megan asked, not wanting to stop at kissing.  No, she decided, they had to go a little bit further today.

"Your Mom?  Yeah, she's helping my Mom with breakfast.  Did you get this sweater for Christmas?  It looks very pretty on you."  He was 'afraid' to touch the buttons.

"Yeah, My Dad bought it for me. Thank you.  Hunter," She traced his belt buckle with her finger.

'Does she realize-Of course, she realizes what she's doing!'

"Yes, Megan?"  his voice cracked

"Wheel me to my bathroom."

"What?"

"You heard me.  Come on---"

Hunter was extremely nervous and excited all at the same time.  It couldn't be sex.  If they got caught now, they would be grounded until THEY were middle age!  'But it would be worth it' Hunter thought.

"Okay, we're here."

"Lock the door, baby."

Hunter locked the door.  He wished he had her forthrightness.

"Megan, what are you up to?  Are you trying to corrupt my morals?"

"Only after you corrupt mine.  Sit on my lap again."

They kissed each other, regular and French for five minutes before Megan had the gumption to do what she wanted to do when she had the idea when she got dressed this morning.  She tried to unbuckle his belt, but she was also nervous and couldn't work the buckle.

"Here, let me."  

"After all this time you never introduced me to—Um, I don't suppose you ever read "Forever" by Judy Blume?"

"I can't say that I have—but," Megan watched Hunter blush, he was so cute, "I think—"

"The name, Hunter, say it.  If you are man enough to propose marriage then you are man enough to tell me what you call your d***.  All men have names for it and since you are an artist I KNOW you do!"

"Promise me you won't laugh."  He whispered, god, what this woman did to him!

"I promise."

He whispered it softly in her ear, "Nuh-uh.  Say it out loud, Hunter."

"Captain Hook."

Megan tried to smile, but it wound up being a laugh.  If she weren't in a wheelchair, she'd have fallen down from laughing so hard.

"Megan, you promised me that you wouldn't laugh!"

"Sue me, so, do I get to be Wendy?"

"If you want to be."  His cheeks were as red as her toothbrush.

Megan rubbed her hands together vigorously, "Good.  I'd say we have ten minutes before we have to go upstairs for breakfast, so let's make it good, Captain!"

Hunter blushed and then thought for a brief second that shouldn't he be the forward one in this area?  Then he thought for an even briefer second that labels suck, as he knew what Megan wanted to do.  He hoped that once he showed her how that she would do this just as good as he did, actually he wanted her to do it better than he did it himself.  

         Eric although his fever was still one hundred degrees he wanted to sit at the table with the rest of the gang and have something to eat as he somewhat had his appetite back.

"How are you feeling, Eric?"  Donna asked

"Sh***.  But thanks for asking."  He didn't doubt the sincerity of her question as he stirred his tea.

Hannah was doing a crossword puzzle with Hyde as they took turns.

"River in Africa, four letters."  Hyde said to her

"Nile.  Write it, Daddy."  He was giving her just the easy ones! But Hannah didn't mind.

"Is Tiffany still sleeping?"  Jackie asked, she was hoping that she wanted to go shopping with her and hit the day after Christmas sales.

"Yeah."  Hyde replied

"There you two are!  What took you so LONG?"  Jackie asked

"Megan was showing me her stamp collection."  Hunter replied, his cheeks pink and he could swear everyone knew exactly what they did.  It felt so good, but it was downright bad!  Just because she was in a wheelchair that didn't make her any less of a pervert!  But he loved her so it was okay.

"Megan doesn't have a stamp collection."  Eric replied with a raised brow.

"Hi, Daddy.  Are you feeling any better?"  Megan asked for two reasons, one she wanted to change the subject and two she really wanted to ask her Father the question.

"Sort of," he looked at Donna and then looked at Megan

"Morning, Mom."  She really didn't want to talk to her, but her Father gave her 'The Forman Look' so she knew that she had to say something.

"Good Morning, Megan."

"What's for breakfast, Mom? I'm starving."  Asked Hunter

"How could YOU be starving?  I'm famished, though!" Megan exclaimed

They'd never EVER think that their precious little girl in a wheelchair would have given her boyfriend (ahem-fiancée) a **** *** and that was the whole point of this mornings "exercise".

"Eggs, bacon, and sausage."

Hunter dropped his fork nervously as Megan tried to stifle yet another giggle.

"It's just one BIG conspiracy, right, Hunter!"

She was being so naughty!  He wanted to hold up those small triangular orange waving cones that they used to land airplanes—Parents Ahead

Hyde looked up they must have had quite a make out session downstairs in the basement before breakfast.

"He's gotta crow."  Megan couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Something is clearly in the Point Place water."   

Hunter blushed, he couldn't be angry with her even if he wanted to.  And he wasn't.  It was great to hear her cute giggle.  But he just wished that she would remember that they weren't at a table with friends and that they were at a table with THE PARENTS and ONE ANNOYING TWIN SISTER.  Even if they were at a table with friends, he wouldn't want her gabbing about what they just did!  Because she probably would say it outright and he'd have to hide under the table.

"Good morning," Tiffany said tiredly to everyone as she entered the kitchen

"Hi, baby,"

"It's too early for hugs, Mother.  I must have coffee."

"Sit down.  I'll pour you a cup.  I was hoping that you'd like to go shopping with me later today, Tiffany."

"I wanna come, too!"  Hannah piped up

"I'm sorry, sweetie, this is just for Tiffany and I."

'Oh, that means you want to TALK to her.'

"I don't know," She yawned, "I was just going to lounge around in my pajamas and do nothing all day."

Jackie held back a disappointed look, "Think about it?"

"Okay," she picked a piece of toast from the stack on the table, "I will.  Let me wake up FIRST, Mother."

"Megan," Donna began, "I'd like to speak to you in the living room before your breakfast is ready."  Donna thought her house smelled like cholesterol.

"Do I get to have some of that bacon and sausage that you're frying?"  Hyde asked, he was a good boy, he took his medicine everyday.

"No, Steven—"

"Aww, come on Jackie, give him just one piece of bacon."  Eric said

"Right now, Mom?"  Megan asked

"Yes, right now."  

Megan looked at her Father and knew that she had to wheel herself to the living room as her Mother walked behind her, but did not push her wheelchair like Hunter and her Father did.

"I'll be back, Hunter."  

"Okay," He smiled; he hoped Megan and Donna weren't going to wind up having a fight.

He hoped that Megan and Donna and Donna and Eric could work out all their differences, he remembered when his Mom and Dad could have easily divorced over Tiffany's rebellion.  It would have killed his spirit if his parents split and he didn't want that to happen to his fiancée.  He wished he could be there in the living room with her, so he could at least hold her hand.  'Parents, don't make it easy for us, that's for certain.' Hunter thought as Jackie put his breakfast plate in front of him but he couldn't eat a thing not knowing how the conversation between Megan and Donna was going, so he just drank his orange juice.

"Thanks, Mom."

          Donna sat on the sofa as Megan kept herself close to the kitchen door.  She wished Hunter could be in the room with her, if only to hold her hand.  

"Come closer, Megan, I'm not going to bite you."

Megan wheeled herself closer as her Mother instructed.  She was only doing this for her Father.  

"I'm sorry that I threw your presents in the garbage, but I STILL DON'T want them.  And Dad reminded me that I have two parents not one, and you're sleeping on the sofa-can I go back to the kitchen now?"  

Megan got it all out in one breath as she thought if she talked fast enough she'd back in the kitchen, eating breakfast, and flirting with Hunter.  

"You're probably angry at me for staying at the Day's Inn—"

"DUH!  You think?" 

Donna wanted to yell, but she chose not to.  'You are just like your Father!'

"Megan, watch the smart mouth, I'm still your Mother."

"I know," She sighed, "Daddy, reminded me."

"You shouldn't have to be reminded of that," Donna coughed and stood up, she was losing track of why she wanted to talk to her daughter in the first place, "I know your Father told you that we're having an in house separation."

Of course knowing on how Eric told her, he probably wrapped it in flowers and cotton candy.  

"DO YOU have plans on filing for divorce?"  Megan had to know, and it would be just like her Mother to get her Father's hopes up only to pull the rug out from under him.

"No.  We plan on working things out, together.  That's what a marriage is."

"After you run to a motel and hide and RUIN everyone's holiday.  And YOU MADE Dad get sick, because he went out chasing YOU without a coat on."  

Megan wished that she could run away.  

Donna took a deep breath and tried to control her temper, of course had this conversation been with Eric, she'd have lost it by now.

"I regret doing that.  But Megan there's a lot of things that you don't know about, and you are too young to understand regarding marriage and what it is."

"and YOU'RE the marriage expert?  Please."  She laughed.

"I can see this is getting us nowhere.  I do love you, even if you can't see that right now.   I wanted to give you your Christmas presents this morning, but since you told me that you 'still don't want them'.  You might as well go back to the kitchen."

"Aren't you coming, Mom?  Or are you going to run away from this argument, too?"

'Just LIKE her Father', Donna wanted to ram her head against the living room wall, 'Just LIKE her damn Father.'  She thought as she walked to the kitchen as Megan stayed in the living room.

10 Minutes Later

     Hunter couldn't eat breakfast without Megan at the table.  Something was definitely wrong because when Donna came back into the kitchen after talking to her daughter, she didn't want to talk to anyone; she only wanted a cup of tea and to bury her head in the morning newspaper.  He finally found her in the laundry room, hands over her face, crying.

"Oh, Megan," his heart collapsed, not only when he saw her crying, but when he saw the engagement earrings he gave her less than twenty four hours ago on the washing machine instead of in her ears, "What's wr-ong?"  He stumbled over the words.

She looked up at her—boyfriend.  If you had to stick a label on what to call people-boyfriend.  Boyfriend. Simple as that.

"Hu—nt-er—I lov—e---y—ou."  

How come he wasn't sitting on her lap?

"Are you breaking up with me?"  He couldn't take losing her again.  It was difficult to believe that just this very morning they advanced to another sexual phase.  It was nice and beautiful.  And now THIS?  

"N-o.  I," She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat.  He didn't take off her glasses to wipe them clean, "Take your earrings back, I don't want them. I CAN'T marry you, Hunter, EVER.  Marriage Is---nothing but a big lie."

Hunter leaned against the wall; he didn't know whether to leave or if he should stay.

She couldn't bear to look at the hurt in his eyes and took of her glasses to clean them herself.  

"I wouldn't blame you if you just walked away and never wanted to be seen with me again."

"Stop that."  He replied quietly, looking at the floor.

"I do love you, Hunter, I just don't---"

He wanted to scream but he did the only thing that he COULD do.  Talk to Megan, as she was the ONLY one he could actually CONVERSE with.   Didn't she know that by now? 

"NO.  Every time we have a difficulty apart from Nash Winkler at the dance, it's ALWAYS been about OUR STUPID PARENTS.  We are NOT THEM.  We ARE US.  And now you don't want to wear your special earrings.  WHY?  Because Donna did a number on you! That's why.  Well, f*** that, Megan Forman.  I LOVE YOU and YOU LOVE ME—WE ARE NOT falling into the angst trap that our parents specialize in.  The CYCLE BREAKS WITH US."

The specialized angst was more Eric and Donna as of late, because Jackie and Hyde seemed to appreciate their love more and more as they had to fight longer and harder to get to their happiness.  That they actually enjoyed life more than their best friends.

He sat on her lap and kissed her passionately.  'LET HER DENY THIS.'

"I love you, too, Hunter Hyde.  Much more than yesterday, will you put my earrings back on for me?"

"Of course, honey."

"You were RIGHT about the parents.  My Mom drives me f***ing insane. I can't stand her, anymore.  Do you want to go out for a stroll?"

That was music to his ears.

He smiled, "I'd like that.  Would you like to eat breakfast first?"

"No, we can eat after we come back," Megan smiled, "Hunter, are you going to eat the sausage that your MOMMY made?"

"Shut up, Megan."  He tried not blush, but it wasn't working.

"You're cute when you blush."

Hunter remained bashful when he wheeled Megan out of the laundry room and back into the living room.

"I'll get my coat."  He kissed her on the nose

"And I'll get mine, I'll meet you outside."  

At that moment Jackie came out hearing the tail end of their conversation, "You guys didn't even eat breakfast yet."

"We're going out for a stroll, Jackie."  Megan said as Hunter ran upstairs to get his coat.  She loved watching him run up the stairs making sexy strides with each step.

"Make sure you button your coat up, Megan."

She smiled, "I will."

Hunter was right, they WEREN'T their parents (thank God), but still at that space in time on December 26, 2015 in her heart of hearts, Megan Forman still believed that the concept of marriage was one big lie.  She just wanted herself and Hunter to be a serious couple without being a SERIOUS couple, per se.  She wheeled herself down the ramp, past the well meaning to get her coat from her room and all she wanted to do at that moment was to enjoy a leisurely stroll around the block with the man she loved with all of her heart.  


	11. Ticking Time Bomb

Chapter 11

The Ticking Time Bomb 

(Special thanks to fireflower, for planting the seed for this storyline)

December 30, 2015

     Jackie decided once Eric's fever was an acceptable ninety nine degrees, which you can get just by running up the stairs a few times, never mind having the flu, to treat all the grown ups to a fancy dinner.  Hyde didn't want to wear a jacket and tie and told Jackie to keep that in mind because he knew how overboard she could go on these types of things.  She also told Donna in private that it would be good for her and Eric to have a nice, uncomplicated evening out and they could even sit at a separate table to discuss their problems if they wanted to.  Megan and Hunter had plans to see The Nutcracker.  Hunter was not into ballet, but when Megan told him the day before that she always wished she could take dance lessons during one of their conversations, he went out later on while she was doing her Christmas break reading assignment and went to order the tickets.  Jackie didn't know if Tiffany had plans or not, even after their after Christmas shopping trip she still didn't know if her daughter had any romantic interests or not, and Hannah could be trusted alone in the Forman house.  Or so The Parents thought.  

30 Minutes 

         Tiffany woke up to a loud thumping sound.  She crashed on the sofa after a tense dinner with Hannah, she "made" Easy Mac and told her to shut up and eat it.  She looked at the clock on the entertainment center, shouldn't Megan and Hunter have left for their date already?  'Sh**, now I have to get up.'  Tiffany got up as Hunter swung open the swinging kitchen door with all of his strength.

"WHERE is SHE?  I'm going to f***ing KILL her!"  

Tiffany always had an affinity for Hunter and hated to see him upset and hurt.

"What happened, Hunter?"

But he didn't answer Tiffany as he ran up the stairs, ready to pounce on his sister.

Tiffany didn't know if she should follow Hunter upstairs or go downstairs to check on Megan, she figured the latter.  Tiffany braced herself for the unknown as she sped walked down the ramp to find Megan sitting on her bed, crying.  

"Megan,"  

She did not look up for a few seconds, that's when Tiffany saw that she wasn't wearing her glasses.  All Megan saw was a blur, but she KNEW it was Tiffany, because her "T" rolo link chain, although she couldn't see the letter was swaying and she was wearing her signature perfume.

"Christ!  Did the loser take your hearing aid, too?"  

Megan understood some of what Tiffany said and nodded.  Tiffany decided to help her back in her wheelchair so she could keep her company in the living room.  She felt so bad (not pity) for Megan; she knew Hunter would NEVER go the ballet for anyone else but her.  Under normal circumstances Tiffany would never want to see a man hit a woman, but if Hunter wanted to kick his twin's ass it was fine with her and she'd lie to their folks and say that she did it, if need be.

Tell Me Why

    Hunter pounded on the locked door of the guest room that Hannah was staying in. 

"OPEN UP THE DAMN DOOR, HANNAH!  SO, HELP ME, I WILL KNOCK IT DOWN!"

Hannah took a deep sigh and opened the door.

"What exactly is your problem, Hunter?"  She looked at her watch, "Shouldn't you and Megan be on your little love date?"

"I want Megan's glasses and hearing aid, and I WANT THEM NOW."

"I don't know what you're talking about.  Maybe, she misplaced them."

"FINE," He turned around and headed straight to Eric and Donna's room, "Have it your way."

She ran after him, panicking when she saw him reach for the telephone.

"Who are you calling?"

He took the piece of paper that his Mother gave him out of his black jeans pocket, "Take a wild guess, Hannah—You have sixty seconds to give me what belongs to Megan, but either way, I'm calling,"  

He dialed the number of the restaurant as she stood in the doorway.  He wasn't bluffing as he asked the person on the other end for either Steven or Jackie Hyde.

"Keep standing there, Hannah, maybe you'll freeze, you heartless wench,"  

Jackie's heart was beating in her throat, there was never a dull moment.

"H-hello?"

"Mom, I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, but there's something that I need to tell you."

He just wanted to be with Megan and not have to deal with this bull****.  How DARE his sister---

       Megan fell asleep on Hunter's shoulder as Tiffany kept a watch on Hannah to make sure she didn't try to put Megan's things back in her room so they'd look like she had indeed misplaced them.  He didn't like the ballet but he knew how much Megan was looking forward to it when she saw the advertisement in the paper, which led to their conversation about her wishing she could have taken dance lessons.  Their time with each other was extremely limited as the Hyde family was flying back home in the afternoon on January first.  He heard the car doors slam shut and he kept his arms around Megan.  He watched them come in one by one, Eric was going to comfort his daughter but when he noticed that she was asleep and in Hunter's arms he quietly kissed her forehead, which led to Donna, who looked nice when she wanted to look that way, followed by his parents.  Heart on her sleeve Jackie's heart broke when she saw Megan, and Hyde called for Hannah to "Come downstairs NOW."

Tiffany ran down the stairs, "I watched her like a hawk."

"Hi, Daddy, I'm sorry that Hunter stupidly interrupted your dinner out."

"Don't play innocent with me, you have thirty seconds to give Megan what belongs to her."  

Megan opened up her eyes, she heard muffled sounds, she recognized the blurs as Eric, Donna, Jackie, and Hyde.  She hated not being able to see without her glasses.

"We are EXTREMELY disappointed in you, Hannah."  Jackie said

"I DIDN'T take them."  She huffed

Hunter kissed Megan on the cheek to let her know that he was going to stand up.

"LIAR!"

There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide for Hannah Kitty Hyde, as she looked at all the parents, she was always her Father's little girl, and he looked at her with disgust like he did when Tiffany had her youthful problems. 

"Daddy!"

"Hannah, you are on my last nerve, I'm not going to tell you TWICE."  Hyde said

"FINE!  Okay, I took Megan's glasses and her hearing aid.  HAPPY?!  But, I'M NOT SORRY!  She gets coddled even when you people don't realize that you're doing it!  If it's not about Eric and Donna's precious marriage it's about MY BROTHER and HIS USELESS CRIPPLE OF A GIRLFRIEND!"  

That brought back terrible memories of the Thanksgiving dance when All Star dill hole Nash Winkler said exactly that statement in the school parking lot and Hannah agreed with him.

Hunter slapped her hard across the face, "DON'T YOU EVER CALL MEGAN THAT!"

"Okay, we're NOT going to hit each other," Jackie said, although she understood why Hunter did it. 

"DAMN YOU, HUNTER!  Damn you ALL!"  Hannah ran upstairs, she knew she'd get the double barreled Mom and Dad lecture and punishment, but she DID NOT CARE.

"She's NOT getting away with this, come on, Jackie."

Hunter held Megan as she cried again.

"I need Coke," Eric, thought out loud, "I'm not going to DO IT.  I just need it.  Hunter, may I?"

"Of course, Eric."  

Hunter understood that Eric wanted to comfort his daughter.  Donna made a mental note to talk to Eric about that "needing Coke" quote later on, she didn't even ream his ass properly for his purchase of the "needing to possess it, but not use it" vile that he threw away because Hyde was a good friend who didn't want to see Eric go down that dark path again.

"Lollipop," he hugged her tight, "It's going to be all right."

"I'm sorry to have such a thoughtless sister."  Tiffany said, she hoped her Mom and Dad were giving it to Hannah good.  She went outside for some air.

Donna mumbled something about going to the kitchen to make some tea as Megan clung to her Father.  

Hunter was very angry (and he was never one to really lose his cool) that his evening with Megan was ruined that he wandered in the kitchen to get some tea for himself and Megan once Donna had the water boiled.

How could Hannah, his own f***ing twin sister do this to Megan?  He didn't care if they weren't best friends anymore, it was a sh***y thing to do.

     "Hannah, you have a lot to answer for," Hyde straddled himself across the chair, "And if we have to stay here all night, we will.  What you called Megan was WAY OUT OF LINE."

"How could you do such a thing to Megan?"  Jackie asked

Hannah stood up despite the feeling she had of the room spinning.  

"Don't you hear yourselves?  How could I do such a thing to Megan?  Nobody cares about the HURT she caused me.  We were BEST FRIENDS for years, we drift apart, and then she suddenly FALLS in love with my brother?!  You ALL see her wheelchair, even when you say you don't."

Hyde looked at his watch, "We'll discuss this in more detail, but right now, I want you to get Megan's things and bring them to her."

She went to the closet and took out her suitcase; she put Megan's glasses and her hearing aid in the zipper compartment.

"How could you?"  Hyde re-asked for Jackie and himself.

"Guess, I'm not your little girl anymore, am I, Daddy?"

She took the items carefully out of the suitcase versus an hour ago when she threw them in a careless fashion.

"What are we going to do with her, Jackie?"  Hyde asked, when she left the room

"I don't know, Steven, Hunter is the only one who hasn't rebelled."  

"I know.  And she better come back up here or I will tack on another month for each minute she stalls."

Jackie kissed her husband on the head, "I'll go back down there to make sure that doesn't happen, I'll be back."

Jackie was right, Hunter was the only one of their children who didn't rebel, the sofa incident and NYC trip aside, and he was a good kid, who NEVER gave his parents any trouble.  It was moments like this, that he hated being someone's parent.  

       Eric noted the symbolism of when he let Hunter go back to comforting his daughter.  He felt like he sort of "gave her away" that night.  She might have clung to her Father and needed his hug, but she craved the embrace from her boyfriend.  It was a different kind of comfort.  

"Eric," Hannah said, as she came down the stairs, "I'm sorry."  

She handed him Megan's personal belongings as he looked at Jackie on the stairwell, "I don't think you are, Hannah."

"Okay, back upstairs young lady, we're not done talking to you."

Eric gave Hunter Megan's affects and went into the kitchen.  

He gently put her glasses back on and it was like somebody put the ALL of the lights back on.  He handed her, her hearing aid.  She put it in.  It felt good to be able to see and hear properly.  

"Thank you, Hunter."   She kissed him on the cheek.

"You're welcome. Your Mother's making tea, I think it's ready now."

"I'm not thirsty.  I'm so pissed that Hannah ruined our evening out."

"You're not the only one.  And even though, I know she's going to be punished, I still don't think I can ever forgive her for what she did and said to you."

Eric came in, "How are you, Megan?"

"Good, Dad."   He smiled, only after he noticed her smile.

"Hunter," Eric took out his wallet, "To make up for what Hannah did—here's some money take Megan out, you two can stay out two hours past curfew—"

"No way," Sgt. Donna appeared, "One hour past curfew."

'Can't you give it a rest, Donna?'  their conversation at the restaurant was more stale than the breadsticks on the table, before the phone call came that had them all sprinting out of there.

"Thanks, Eric.  Do you want to go to Starbucks, Megan?"  

Hunter hated trendy and corporate places such as Starbucks, but it wasn't that far from the house as he didn't still didn't have his learner's permit yet.

"Sure.  I wish it were still The Hub.  Give me a few minutes to get ready."   Megan replied, she wished she grew up in her parent's time.  It seemed more 'innocent' back then.

She needed a few extra minutes to freshen up her face, but to Hunter despite her tearstains, she looked beautiful to him.  And she always would.

     The Punishment Fits The Crime

     Jackie needed to have a woman-to-woman chat with Donna as she told Steven to keep the bed warm for her; she brought out her 'beauty ambulance'

case and put it on the kitchen table.

'Oh no' Donna thought

"Where's Eric?"

"I don't know, he probably went to bed early, since he still has a slight fever."

'I hope she doesn't want to talk about MY marriage.'

Jackie opened up her mega train case and took out her honey almond exfoliating scrub.

"Donna, please get me a dishtowel and a bowl of water.  Hannah is going to make her official apology tomorrow at breakfast, but I want to say how sorry I am over what happened."

Donna gave Jackie an old dishtowel that was in the back of the cabinet and a green plastic bowl filled with lukewarm water.

"I'd like to say, don't worry about it, but—she hurt my daughter.  Even though Megan despises the ground I walk on right now.  I'm still her Mother---"

Jackie took the top off of the scrub and then wet her face, she couldn't wait to put this all over her face and scrub the Hell out of it.

"I know, and I'm sorry.  She is getting a job," The job she had wrapping Christmas presents only lasted two weeks, "For five months all the money will go 

to a charity that you and Eric decide."

Donna liked that punishment.  It fit the crime.

"I think Megan should pick where the money goes."

"Fair enough.  I hope her and Hunter are having a nice time."  Jackie said as she scrubbed her face clean.

"Me too, do you want a cup of tea?"

"I already had two, thanks.  What I can really use is a glass of wine."

"Me too.  I have a great burgundy in the fridge."   

"Is there still cheese left for crackers?"  

That's what Jackie needed; a facial, some wine, cheese and crackers, and a woman-to-woman talk with Donna before making the beast with two backs with Steven later on.

"I think so."

"Do you want to give yourself a facial?"

"Um, no—I'll stick to the wine, Jackie."  

Donna said as she poured the wine into the glasses her and Eric got as part of their second wedding present from one of their relatives.  She wondered how Megan and Hunter's date was going?  She hoped it was young and carefree like it should be.

      Hunter and Megan didn't say much, it's not that they didn't want to talk to each other; they just wanted to enjoy each other's company that night without useless words.  They drank their Frappucinos and shared an apple danish with 

with mocha swirls.  Not being able to hear properly without her hearing aid was one thing to Megan, but if she never could see Hunter's face again—she didn't want to think about how 'blind' she was without these strong prescription glasses that she had to wear ever since she was three years old.

"Hunter," she spoke softly, "Do you want to know what my eyes are like?"

"What?"  

She took off her glasses, "I want you to see what I see, and since these are intense lenses, it'll give you an idea."

He didn't know what she was driving at, but if it was important for Megan, than it was important to him.

"Wow," he said after he put the glasses on, "It's like all the colors in the paint box smeared."   He took them off and gently slid them across the booth.

"So—" she started to say, as she put her glasses back on

He cut her off, "Megan, you aren't about go into your 'I deserve better' speech, again, are you?  Because we're not going there."

Hunter held her hand.

"No, I'm not.  I just wanted you to see though my eyes, that's all."

"I can't apologize enough for what happened tonight."

"You have nothing to apologize for Hunter."  

"Hannah is dead to me now."   Hunter replied as he finished his coffee.

"I really don't want to talk about her."

"That's fine by me," he smiled, "Do you want the stroll home or should I call for a taxi van?"  he looked at his watch.

"The stroll."  

Going out for a stroll with her boyfriend (fiancée-well---) was one of her most favorite things in the whole world.  Sometimes, they'd stop for a kissing break, or just to look at the scenery, it was definitely in her top five list of things to do with Hunter Hyde.

"Just make sure you button up your coat!"  Megan laughed

"Jackie's not here!"

"I love you, Hunter."

"I love you, too, Megan.  I wish we could have the house to ourselves."

"I know—but Sgt. Donna will be lurking around since she's sleeping on the sofa now."

Hunter thought if Chill Pills really existed Donna should take them by the case load, some people NEED to medicated and she was definitely too high strung, he noticed.

"Wake up early, tomorrow.  Wendy might want to play with Captain Hook."

She loved watching him blush.  

"Megan,"

"What?"

"You know what!"

"No, I don't.  You're so cute, when you get all bashful, Hunter.   You know what I think?  Sometimes, I think you believe that I can do better than YOU—well, if I can't say that you can do better than me, then don't find you it—um, hypocritical?"

"Touché."

"You know what I would do right now, if I had legs that worked?"

"I'm almost afraid to ask, Megan."

"I'd take my leg and go up yours, and maybe I'd take a detour to Never Never Land."

"Megan!"  He quickly put his hands over his face, and she laughed

"I'm a woman, Hunter—do you HEAR me ROAR?"  

Donna used to play that old Helen Reddy song all the time, when she would clean the house and Megan was little.  It was a goofy little song that she remembered.

It amazed her that she thought about her Mother positively for one small moment.

"YES."  And Hunter blushed some more.

"After our coffee, I'd like to go the pharmacy."

"What for?"  he asked softly

"I guess that you'll have to wait and see, Hunter.  La la la la la la."  She sang

"Come on, tell me—"

"La, la, la, la.  Just some solution."

"What—wait—Oh, I know what you mean.  Get the one with the orange top."

"Why's that?"

"You know why."

"Say it, Hunter."

"Why do I have to say it, Megan, when you all ready know why?"

"Because I want to hear YOU say it."

"Because it's," He made sure to lower his voice, "warm."

"You are so CUTE!  Let's BLOW this popsicle stand."

'Oh God, you don't want to TRY THAT next, do you, Megan?'

"Okay.  Maybe the pharmacy is closed."  He looked at his watch.

"Maybe, it's not, sweetie pie," She couldn't wait to ram her tongue in his mouth later on.  "I love you."

"You already said that."

"I think it bears repeating.  Be prepared to be kissed when we get home."

"What if I don't want to?"  

"You want to Hunter," she finished her coffee, "You want to."   She smiled bright.  

He loved her so much.   He didn't want to leave her on New Year's Day, he wished there was a way he could stay in Point Place or she could come to Pennsylvania.  But he knew the parents would NOT go for that idea.  He never wanted to be apart from the woman he loved.  He was going to hate leaving her.

      Later that evening

     "Donna, what are you doing?"  asked Eric, coming down the stairs for a glass of orange juice

"Flashing the light on Megan and Hunter."

"Are YOU watching them kiss?"  

"Eric, we altered their curfew due to what happened, and it's past that time now."

"They ARE home.  You make such a BIG DEAL out of stuff.  Remember when WE USED TO make out in the driveway?  Let them have that, Donna."

"What did you come downstairs for?"

"To get a glass of orange juice."

"Then get it—because you don't want us to have this argument."  

Donna looked out the window and noticed Hunter wheel Megan around the house to the basement entrance.

"Leave THEM alone.  You don't see Jackie and Hyde down here.  You want to know why?  Because A) They trust their son and Megan and B) They actually have sex and fell asleep satisfied."

"Eric, they had their date, their curfew is over, and it's time for Hunter to go upstairs to bed.  Those are the rules."

"Do YOU even hear yourself?  You are NOT the same Donna that I fell in love with."

He went in the kitchen because he didn't want to have this argument.  

"We'll talk later," 

"Don't you mean you'll bark at me later?"

She sighed, Eric was SO impossible.  "You DON'T OWN me, Eric."  

He watched Donna go down the ramp, to ruin Megan and Hunter's goodnight kisses, that crazy militant middle aged woman was definitely NOT the same woman that he fell in love with all those years ago.  She changed into someone barely recognizable.  Eric poured himself a small glass of orange juice and finished it before Donna came back into the kitchen.   He went back upstairs to his cold and lonely bed.  He wanted nothing more than to have the real Donna back in his life and his bed.   Damn Hyde.  He was definitely the lucky b******.  Why couldn't Donna be more like Jackie?  She carried herself like a true woman should.  He didn't want to think about what that meant exactly as he was too tired, he just knew that Jackie was a BETTER woman than Donna, Eric thought as he drifted back into yet another restless, unsatisfying sleep.

  
  



	12. 54321

Chapter 12

54321

December 31, 2015

An excerpt from Megan's diary

     It's five in the morning and Hunter should be coming downstairs.  My lovely Mother (I'd rather the feminazi be holed up at the Day's Inn rather than here) ruined our evening.

(I'll talk about that later.)

Hunter hid the Walgreen's bag in his coat pocket.  We were coming right in the house for God's sake.  He was in the process of wheeling me to my room like a gentleman would.  I have to talk to Dad later, but after I get done writing this, I'm going to wash my face, brush my teeth, and put on my cinnamon lip-gloss.  I don't have any more perfume left, but I refused my Mother's Christmas gifts. So, what can I do?  I'm not going to write much today as Hunter leaves to go back home tomorrow.  I want to spend all the time that I can with him, without too much parental (i.e. Donna) interference.

M.F.

       Hunter stretched his arms in bed and looked at the clock on the end table.  It read, four thirty.  He promised Megan he'd be there after five.  He quietly got out of the bed and grabbed his toothbrush, then thought, if someone hears the water running, he'd get in trouble.  Although, there was NO LAW about waking up at four thirty in the morning to brush ones teeth.  He put his toothbrush down and opened up a pack of gum that was on his dresser.  He knew he could get dressed quietly.  He also wanted to give Megan time to get up and ready.  He took the plastic bag off the floor, hating the crackling sound the bag made; he was using that as a hamper.  He put it on the bed and proceeded to get dressed in the bedroom, rather than risk making too much noise in the bathroom. To make things interesting for Megan he chose his black button down shirt with the white mini spiral pattern, Jackie found that at a yard sale for him, and his favorite 'flared just right, without needing alterations' blue jeans.  He made sure to put on his black Adidas Spezials with the white stripes and rubber souls.  In his excitement he forgot to put on his deodorant so he did the typical guy thing and sprayed it over his shirt.  He had to deal with another crackling plastic bag, he should have taken it out last night, but didn't think of it, bottle of goodness from their trip to Walgreen's.  He threw it on the bed and decided to put on his black Adidas hoodie from Megan over his shirt, then he grabbed the forbidden (like everything else apparently was) bottle and put it in the pocket.  He softly opened the door and listened for wake up noises. He made a quick stop in the bathroom before heading down the basement to see Megan.  His Mother and Father would definitely still be asleep.  Then his brain thought of Donna. 'S***!  Sgt. Donna sleeps on the sofa now! How am I---?'

Hunter remained calm and thought he could take the back ramp that was the route Megan took whenever she had to come upstairs.  He was afraid Donna would hear him walk down the ramp from that direction and know exactly who was upstairs (Him) and where he was going (To make out with Megan in her room.)  He figured it would be better to just take the main staircase, that way once he got to the kitchen he could go down the ramp the normal way to her room and if Donna heard anything she would just assume it was Megan.  'Too bad the old drill sergeant doesn't wear a hearing aid' Hunter thought.  What luck!  He smiled, Donna was snoring! It must have taken a lot out of her to WAIT up for them, flash the light on and off, and then when they thought they could kiss more by the basement entrance—Donna actually had the audacity (that's when Megan whispered the morning's plan to him) to go down the ramp, turn on the light in Megan's room, and open the door.  Hunter had to go upstairs to bed, with his tail between his legs and Megan had to deal with facing Donna and resenting her more and more.  It was after five when Hunter finally made it to the sanctuary known as Megan's room.  He went up to her bathroom door and did the corny secret knock that you see in hundreds of TV shows and movies hoping that she had her hearing aid in.  

"It's open."  He heard Megan say

"Good morning, Megan."  He closed the door and locked it before sitting on her lap.

"Now it is, Hunter."  She put her arms around him and kissed him.  

"Hmm, Megan—" He always had the habit of pausing.  

"Isn't it funny how I'm the one in the wheelchair, yet you're the one who always gets uncomfortable?"  

She felt something in his sweatshirt pocket and knew it had to be the bottle.  She pulled it out and started to unscrew the top.

"Shouldn't you read the directions first?"

She smirked as she turned the bottle around, "Put on hands, play with d***."

"Maybe, we shouldn't---"

"Oh no you don't, Hunter Hyde.  Unbuckle your belt!" 

Didn't he realize by now that he didn't need to be nervous, bashful, and bumbling around her, when they were being intimate?  Megan thought he was adorable, but that wasn't going to stop her from having naughty bad fun with her Soulmate.

Caught

       They knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Hunter heard someone in Megan's room, he wasn't sure if it was Donna or not, then he heard the sounds of a muffled voice and the person went back the ramp.  

"Sh**!"   Hunter seemed to jump off Megan trying to pull his pants back up and buckle his belt.

'Damn you, MOM!'

"Hurry, Hunter!  I don't want you or me to get into trouble, I left the back door open, just go for a walk around the block and come through the front."

He quickly washed his hands in the sink, kissed Megan on the lips, quietly opened the bathroom door, and ran to the door as she too washed her hands, put the cap back on the magical bottle and shoved it in the back of the toilet paper drawer.   That was a close call and a narrow escape for Hunter.

She thought she'd flush the toilet that way her stupid Mother would think she was actually using the bathroom.  She wheeled herself back into her room, counting the moments until her and Hunter could be alone again. They were always getting interrupted and she couldn't stand the lack of privacy in this house.

     Hunter wasn't paying attention when he ran out the door and he bumped square into his Father when he went around to the front of the Forman house.

"Oh, it's you, Dad—I'm sorry."

"Whoa, slow down.  What's your hurry?" Hyde looked at his watch, "You're up early."

"I couldn't sleep and went out for a walk."

"The way you plowed into me, I would say you were running away from something."

Hunter decided to change the subject, "Are you back from one of your hypocritical walks?"  

He asked in such a matter of fact tone that Hyde couldn't get angry with him for having a smart mouth, because he was always full of natural curiosity. That he wasn't meaning it in the wiseacre way as Hunter was like this since he was a little kid.

"That's neither here nor there.  Hunter, is there something that you need to talk to me about?"

Hunter looked at the snow-covered ground.  "N-no—I don't know."

"Come on, let's go for a walk to the water tower."  That's where he just came from, but he didn't need to mention that to his son.

"Dad!  I can't!  I'm YOUR son!"

Hyde smirked, "To TALK."

"Oh, to talk—Okay."

     Megan looked at the clock and wondered where Hunter was?  Her Mother was probably the one who came downstairs but something prevented her from getting to the bathroom door.  She smelled the morning fragrance of coffee.  Megan slowly wheeled herself up the ramp; she would try to be on her best behavior for her Father's sake.  She hoped she would have an opportunity to speak to him privately before the day was through.  Jackie was making a small party platter, no doubt for tonight's New Year's Eve party.  Her Mother was not in the kitchen to which Megan let out a happy sigh.

"Good morning, Megan."

"Morning, Jackie."  Megan went to pour herself a glass of orange juice.

"I sent your Mom to the 24 hour grocery, I hope she's not getting the generic brand of pie filling, it'll ruin the pastry puffs.  What would you like for breakfast today?"

"I can make my own bowl of cereal, thanks."

Jackie smiled, Donna and Eric did a great job of raising their daughter, no wonder Hunter loved her so.

           There was a big uncovered snow patch under the water tower and Hunter wondered as he looked at the ground if it was like that or did SOMEONE clear a space so they could sit down and self medicate?

      "What's wrong, son?"

"Nothing's WRONG, Dad.  I'm s-scared."

"Look at me," Hyde too sat on the uncovered snow patch and lifted his son's chin up, "What is it, Hunter?"

"I love Megan."  

Full stop.  He wanted to say more, but that's all that could come out of his mouth.  Megan was the ONLY one he could converse with, except on this subject. (or so he thought)

"And?"

"I-um-am afraid of—BEING with her.  I've done research, Dad.  I'm not ashamed of Megan, you have to believe me—"

"Take a deep breath, Hunter.  I BELIEVE you."

"I'm NOT grossed out, but it's a different kind of sex.  i don't know if i can make her happy—sexually."

"Did you TRY making love?"  

Hyde respected his son's privacy, because he had such a high value for his own, but his son was in turmoil over this and he wanted to help him out if he could.

"No.  I mean we'd joke around about doing it, but the closet we got was that time everyone caught us on the sofa---"

The foreplay wasn't what worried Hunter, yeah he got easily embarrassed when Megan would talk about it, but he quite enjoyed their make out sessions, it was the act of sexual intercourse that frightened the Hell out of him. 

"I can see that you two make each other happy.  As far as having sex goes, you just keep on respecting Megan, when she's ready, she'll tell you.  I wish I had better advice for you son, but I never had a relationship with anyone in a wheelchair, but it's been my experience that people are the same in their wants and needs."

"I'm scared that I WON'T be good enough for her."

"That's an insecurity that comes from up here," he softly tapped Hunter's head, "Just take it slow, I know you kids don't want to hear that, but for the sex, take it slow, and let it progress naturally.  Can I ask what this research is that you said you've done?"

"I read about it."  Hunter was NOT about to go into the details of what he read.

"Read some more, and you don't have to worry about me telling your Mother, we'll keep this as a Father-son discussion."

"THANKS," he let out a sigh, "Shouldn't we be heading back now?"

He squeezed his son's shoulders.  "You're welcome, Hunter.  Anytime, you want to speak to me, I'll be here for you. Yeah, I can just hear your Mom pestering me to take my medicine before breakfast."

"Tell her you already did."  He smiled

"You're going to get it, son," Hyde smiled, he knew like before his son meant it in a jestful way, "I bet your Mother prepared another big breakfast."

"And I bet you're starving, too!"  He let out a small laugh, to which Hyde raised a playful eyebrow. 

They walked back to Eric and Donna's house, as Hunter felt a little bit better since he was able to confide in his Father.  BUT despite his immense love for Megan he still was unsure of his role as the "normal" person their relationship.  

Talk in the Crunchy Snow

     After breakfast Hunter took Megan out for a stroll because he didn't know if they'd be able to go out later as Jackie was in full plan party mode.  

"Stop here," Megan said, "You were quiet at the breakfast table this morning.  Is there anything wrong, Hunter?"

"No."  He brushed the snow off the park bench before sitting down on it.  

"You're lying."  

He stood up nervously and walked behind her to place his hands on the bars of her wheelchair.

"I—"

"What is it?"

"I love you, Megan," he kissed her neck, "Just remember that."

"Hunter, two things—one, I want you to face me and two, what are you rambling about?"

He walked around to face her, but he still couldn't help looking at the ground for a moment or two.  "I'm scared that I won't be good enough for YOU-sexually."  

"WHAT?!  Come here, sit on my lap."

"I've read the books, looked at the pictures, HOW can I give you---?"

"You don't think I'm scared, too?  I constantly wish I wasn't the handicapped one, not that I want you to be—but I know I love you and that's enough, isn't it?"

"I love you, too—but am I enough?  How do I know I'm going to be ANY good?"

"You're enough.  I know it's difficult with our parents constantly interrupting our flow and with you going back home tomorrow and I don't know how long it's going to be until our next visit—let's NOT even think about this."  She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I promise I'll do my best to make you feel complete."  He whispered 

"Ditto."

They held each other for twenty minutes before heading back to the house.

7PM

         "Thanks, Hunter."  

Tiffany said when she came back into his room.  She asked for his help in gift-wrapping a present for their Mother.  She saw it on their after Christmas shopping trip, but didn't want to give it to Jackie until New Year's.  

"You're welcome."

"Oh," she went to the door to make sure no one was lurking around before she closed it, "I have something for you."

She went into the top pocket of her emerald green silk blouse and pulled out a thank you card sized envelope.

"Thanks," he replied shyly, "You didn't have to."   He was about to put the envelope in his pocket.

"Open it, silly."

"All right," Hunter opened up the envelope carefully and into his hands slid a gold key, "What door does this open?"

She kissed him on the head, "Think about it.  Thanks again for wrapping Mom's gift.  See you downstairs."  

She smiled and left his room.  He closed the door so he could change into his tan colored button down shirt, wondering why did Tiffany give him a key?

      Jackie gave Megan a French manicure and used a hair dryer to speed dry her nails since she didn't bring her nail drying kit with her.  Megan was happy that apart from the three meal breaks she didn't have to interact with her Mother much.  She still didn't get talk to Eric in private because her Dad was under the impression that his marriage was worth saving and he and Donna went to talk in private on at least two occasions Megan noticed.  

"Thanks, Jackie."

"I just—remembered—wait a second, sweetie," she opened up her purse, the one she's had forever, but never had the heart to tell Steven that it cost ten thousand dollars, "Crystal decals!  You put them in the center of the nail, makes your fingers all sparkly."

"Awesome, I'm sure Hunter will notice."

"My baby has an artists eye."

Megan had to change the subject she didn't want to get into a too deep conversation about Hunter with his Mother, no matter how nice Jackie was, that was still embarrassing.

"Do you have any perfume in that bag?"

"Tons!  But your Mother said you have to watch the kinds you wear?"

"That's when I was younger, but the softer the better."

"I have just the thing," she pulled out a semi used fragrance stick, "It smells like fresh rain."  She handed the wand to Megan

Megan opened it and twisted it up to smell the fragrance, "This is nice, I like it."  She put it on her pulse points.

"You can keep that."

"Thanks, Jackie."

She helped her fix her hair, did her make up, and zipped up her sweater in the back.  She remembered fighting with her Mother in the mall over the green sweater with the zipper in the back.  No, Megan could not reach it, but neither could ANY woman, unless they undid a hangar—all Donna saw was an inconvenience for her handicapped daughter and NOT a pretty sweater.  Jackie saw the sweater in her closet and said it would look stunning on her.  She wore a slight over the knee black skirt and of course leave it Jackie to have this stuff called liquid nylons that put a stocking colored tint on your legs so she wouldn't have to fuss with pantyhose, knee highs or otherwise, and the shoes she wore to the Thanksgiving day dance.  She couldn't wait for Hunter to see her.

"You're welcome.   You look very beautiful.  Are you ready to go upstairs?"

"Yep."  Megan gave herself one last look in the mirror, how her Christmas earrings from Hunter matched her whole outfit.  She felt like the most beautiful woman in the world.

11:58PM

     The TV was on and the never aging announcer kept talking about the diamond ball and how it was moving down ever so closer to the countdown clock.  What would the year 2016 bring?  Hyde had his arm around Jackie as they claimed the sofa, much to Megan's chagrin Donna and Eric were sitting on the bottom of the stairs, Tiffany was on her second glass of wine, hoping that Hunter figured out the mystery of the key, and Hannah had her back against the accordion style laundry room door and she just wanted to be in her room but her parents wouldn't let her, she might have been punished, but it was still going to be New Year's in 5-4-3-2-1 as Auld Lang Syne played in the background.

"Happy New Year, Megan."  Hunter said as they shared a kiss, and it was one of those moments when he didn't care what the folks saw

He knew his Father was on his side and that meant a lot.  His Mother and although he loved her was still going to be the "worried Mom" and would put her emotions in the way, Eric was okay and the perfect balance to old Sgt. Donna.

"Happy New Year, Hunter, kiss me again."

*

"You kissed me, Donna," Eric said, surprised, "What's the catch?"

"There's no catch, Eric.  I do want to work things out with you."

"I hope that's not the wine talking."

"It's not, Happy New Year, Eric."   She kissed him again to prove her point that it was NOT the wine.

*

"I always wait 365 days for that first kiss of the New Year."  Hyde said softly into Jackie's shoulder.

"Is it worth it, Steven?"  she asked

"Yes."  He replied, simply.  He loved her more and more with each passing year.  His only regret was that they should have been together and stayed together from the moment they fell in love as adolescents. 

*

Megan rested her head on Hunter's shoulder.  She was surprised that no one freaked out and said he couldn't sit on her lap.  

"I know what door the key is for."  He whispered, but all of the adults were immersed in their own conversations that they wouldn't have heard them if they made plans to rob the Point Place Savings and Loan.

"What key?"  Megan asked

"I'll tell you later, Megan.  Happy New Year to the most beautiful person in this room."

He kissed her again.  

We two hae paidled i' the burn,  
Frae mornin' sun till dine;   
But seas between us braid hae roar'd   
Sin' auld lang syne 

  
  



	13. The Circle Game

Chapter 13

The Circle Game

Bonded

     It was the wee hours of the morning of March 20, 2016 when Hannah woke up, still dressed her field hockey uniform, school colors blue and gold, Hyde #7 on the back, the clock on read 2:45 in big red numbers.  Her eyes started to water.  'No-'.  She jumped out of her bed and ran to her parent's room.  She didn't knock on the door; she just opened the door and turned on the light.  

"H-Hannah," Jackie rubbed her eyes," What's wrong?"

"It's Hunter!  He's in trouble!"

The telephone rang before either Jackie or Hyde could respond.  The date was March 20, 2016.

WI

    Megan woke up freezing cold and shaking at around a quarter to three in the morning.  She put her hearing aid in and her glasses on.  Something WASN'T right.  She felt like she was the only person in the house.  She picked up her picture of herself and Hunter off her end table.  It was from the Thanksgiving dance last year, Jackie had it matted and framed for her and mailed it to her a month ago.  She kissed his sweet face and put it back on her table.  She got into her wheelchair, which was always fun to do when you were groggy but she made it and headed up the ramp.  No one was in the kitchen.  Her Mother never moved to the guest room and was back in the master bedroom as of New Year's Day.  They didn't talk about the in house separation and Megan never did get to have that serious talk with her Father about her Mother, but it all seemed like a moot point now.  She wheeled herself to the telephone and picked it up and then she put it back down.  Not two seconds later she picked up the telephone again and dialed her Father's cell phone; she didn't feel like wheeling herself up the ramp.  

"H—hello?"  Eric asked half-asleep

"It's Megan from downstairs.  Will you keep me company, Daddy?  Don't wake up, Mom."

"Okay, lollipop.  I'll be down in a few minutes."

If his daughter needed him, he'd always be there for her.

"Thanks, Dad."

Megan picked up the phone and dialed Hunter's cell phone.  'That's strange' she thought, as she got a pre recorded error message from the phone provider saying she couldn't be connected to that number.    "Hunter—" Megan whispered as she hung up the phone.

"What's the matter, Megan?"  Eric came downstairs in his Green Bay Packers sweatshirt and jogging pants that he had to put on at the last minute because he must have been good to have been rewarded with sex with his Wife.

"Hunter---Dad, I need a hug, I'm scared."  Megan tried not to cry in her Father's shoulder.

They got the phone call at 3:15AM

NYC

     Tiffany sometimes would have normal bouts of insomnia and hated being in bed if she couldn't sleep so she would use the time to wallpaper her bathroom.  There was no sense in going to bed, as she had to get ready for school soon anyway.  It was cool to take the subway in her Columbia sweatshirt and jeans; she didn't look like 'the typical rich kid' with her hair in a ponytail, and her Nikes.  She supposed she had her Father-no he was her Dad-Steven Hyde to thank for that.  But she had to get this apartment back and the moment she turned eighteen, it seemed to be a matter of fate because the single couple who had bought the place when they moved out, hardly ever used it as the Husband worked for a bank conglomerate in Zurich, Switzerland and they didn't change the décor or anything.  Tiffany made a polite offer and they took it.  She was grateful that they didn't sublet the place.  She had her apartment back and was happy.  She loved living in the hustle and bustle of New York City.  Her phone rang and she didn't get off the stepladder at first thinking if it was that d***wad Craig then it could ring off the hook for all she cared.  But the rings wouldn't stop.  She put the wallpaper square down and jumped off the ladder.  The caller ID said—Hyde, Jackie

"Mother, what's wrong?"

"It's not Mom, it's me," Hannah was on the other end and she was crying, "You have to come home right away.  I'm going to be si-ck—" Hannah dropped the phone and ran off.

"Hannah?  Are you still there?!"  Tiffany hung up the phone and ran to her room to pack a small suitcase and hail a taxi to JFK.

     WI

     "Did she eat or drink for you, Eric?"  Donna asked as she brushed her hair.

"No."   

He threw his clothes in his suitcase.  It tore at him to know that his daughter was in immense pain.

"She knows she has to keep HER strength up."  

"I'm going to try to get her to drink some orange juice before we go to the airport."  Eric tried to stay on autopilot.  

"Poor thing," Donna sighed as she went over to Eric to fix his sweater that was half in and half out of his jeans, "Can you finish packing for the both of us? I'm going to go down there and try to make Megan something for breakfast."

"She won't eat it."  Eric replied softly when Donna left the room.

PA

~Flashback to March 19, 2016~

11PM Caroline's Diner  

     Hunter wiped the sweat off his forehead with his arm.  Even in the cold months this kitchen always felt like Calcutta in July.  He asked his parents since tomorrow was Sunday if he could stay later and work a few extra hours.  Jackie was hesitant but Hyde said he could "since the 20th was on a Sunday."  He saw the perfect ring for Megan.  It was a white gold band with a two karat round solitaire and two baguettes on each side.  He was going to sleep in a bit once his shift was over and then go the jewelry store in the mall to put it on layaway.  They hadn't been together since the Christmas/New Year's holidays.  Their phone calls and Instant Messages were all they had to let each other know how much they missed each other.

"How long are you staying, Thomas?"  Hunter asked

He liked working nights, the big boss Mr. Walters wasn't in and they didn't have to listen to the cr*** AM radio feed.

"Until one."  his best guy friend replied

"Well, I'll only have one hour by myself and waitress Suzette."

She was a pompous little waif who only took the job as part of her performance art course at one of the local community colleges.

"I feel sorry for you, man."  Thomas said, he was the bus boy and Hunter was the dishwasher.  

"I'll be okay as long as you stop giving me dishes to wash!"

"Isn't that why you're here?"  

All Hunter had to do was stack the dishes and pots in this big silver square and pull the handle down and this even bigger silver box came down on top of the square and washed the dishes automatically for two minutes.  But sometimes he had to scrub the soup containers because the automatic dishwasher didn't get all the gunk out especially when the soup of the day was New England clam chowder. 

"Don't remind me.  I wish this was the Fotohut."  His Father was the King of Slacking Off and still got paid for his "work" back in his youthful day.

"What?"

"Never mind."  Hunter smiled; he couldn't wait to go the jewelry store tomorrow to put Megan's engagement ring on layaway.

2:30AM

    Hunter took his apron off and threw it on the counter.  He had to stay an extra half hour because the dishwasher who was supposed to take over for him was late getting to the diner on time.  He punched out on the time clock and headed to his car.  Hunter Hyde finally had a car, (sort of) he only had a learner's permit, but he was able to borrow his Mother's candy apple red Mercedes. The driver's side airbag was broken and needed to be fixed, but no one gave it a second thought.  It wasn't his type of car, but it got him from point A to point B so he wasn't about to complain.  He was too tired to put his seat belt on.  He drank a can of soda so he'd have some energy for the ride home.  He let his mind drift to Megan rather than curse at the idiot in front of him.  Some people shouldn't be allowed on the roads.  He'd wait awhile and then try to pass the moron.  Not only was he saving for an engagement ring but he also wanted to see Megan and didn't want to rely on his parents visiting her parents or vice-versa just to make it possible for them to see one another.  He beeped the horn, ready to pass this annoying car out; sure enough it was a jerk HOLDING a cell phone instead of using it as a speakerphone. The last conscious thought he had was of Megan's laugh. It only took three seconds for both cars to collide as Hunter's head hit the windshield before he fell back and the car tipped on driver's side.

~End flashback~

PA

St. Peter's Hospital (fictional)

     "Mother," Tiffany ran out of the elevator and into her Mother's shaky arms, "I came as soon as I heard."

"My baby," Jackie cried, she was due because she hadn't cried in five minutes, "My sweet darling baby boy."

     Eric was almost afraid to go into Jackie and Hyde's bedroom as he heard the sounds of mass destruction.  Hyde decided to crawl into himself once again and take apart the bookshelf; books were all over the floor, the bed, the dresser, and the shelving around him on the floor like a mini Stonehenge.

"Hyde—"

"Hey, Forman—"

'hey, forman?'

Two pieces of wood were in Hyde's way and he flung them hard across the wall.  

"DAMN F***ING CELL PHONES!  IF I HAVE TO BURY ANOT—"

"What?!" 

'bury another?'

"NOTHING."

"Hyde," Eric walked through the mess to face his best friend, 

"MY SON—" he broke down in Eric's arms

Break On Through (To The Other Side)

     "I remember that laugh!  You're Grandma Kitty."  Hunter said in his unconscious stream

"That's right.  You've grown up to be very handsome, Hunter."

Hunter blushed.  "Thanks."

"And are you going to propose properly to my granddaughter with a ring this time?"

"Yes, Ma'am.  Is that Grandpa Red over there?"

"Yes, but he's busy guarding the gate because it's NOT your time to cross over."

Hunter nodded and waved to Red, who waved back.  

"It's nice and quiet here."

"I know.  Turn around, sweetie, walk the way in which you came."

(i can see her crying)

(megan—don't cry)

"She can't hear you, no one can.  You have to leave now, you can't stay here."

"Can I have a hug before I go?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, Grandma Kitty, it was nice seeing you again."

"Tell Eric and Steven that they are wonderful Father's and that I'm VERY PROUD of the both of them."

"I will.  I love you, you were the only Grandma I ever had."

"I love you, too, here's a sandwich for your journey.  It's longer to get back than it was coming here.  So, you have to leave right now if you want to see them in the morning."

"Okay, bye, Grandma Kitty."  He waved before heading back.

"Bye, Hunter." 

       Megan hid in the handicapped accessible bathroom on the ICU floor of St. Peter's Hospital.  She locked the door and sobbed uncontrollably, she had wanted to do that FOR HOURS now.  Hunter was in a coma, clinging for his life.  It was all because of an idiot couldn't drive and hold a cell phone at the same time.  Jackie's car was totaled and Hunter was, in the words of the doctor's, lucky that he didn't die on impact. 

"Please don't take Hunter away from all of us that love him."  Megan coughed almost choking on her own tears.    
  
There was a knock on the door.  

"Go away!"  

But the knocking wouldn't stop so Megan undid the lock as the door opened to reveal Hannah still in her worn field hockey uniform. 

"I'M SORRY," she hugged her, "You don't have to believe me, Megan, but I am.  Sorry for everything."

Megan hugged her back.

       "Mother, you have to drink something."  Tiffany put the two paper coffee cups and one paper tea cup on the table in the waiting room.

"Thanks for the tea."  Donna replied, holding Jackie's cold hand.

"Sure.  Mother—"

Jackie was off in her own thoughts.

~Jackie's flashback~

     Hunter was five years old and immersed in his Crayola 64 pack with the BUILT IN sharpener as he sat quietly at the kitchen table.  Jackie was amazed at how different he and his twin sister were.  Hannah loved getting piggyback rides from her Daddy and playing in the hay and Hunter preferred a quiet place to draw in.  She sat at the other end of the table just to observe him.  He took a red crayon and peeled the wrapping off with his tiny fingers to put the crayon in the sharpener.  

"How are you doing, sweetie?"

"Fine."  He didn't look up, not because he didn't love his Mommy, but because he was drawing a picture.

"Do you want peanut butter and jelly for lunch?"

"Yeah, with a pickle."

Jackie smiled.  He heard that on Sesame Street and always ordered his sandwiches that way when they went out to eat after that.

"You are my sweet pickle!"  She kissed him on the head gently; he always backed away from hugs and kisses.

He took the purple crayon and wrote Hunter at the bottom in big letters then proceeded to fold the paper in half, hop off the chair, and present it to his Mother. 

"Is this for me?"

He looked at the floor and shook his head, 'yes'.

He drew a picture of Jackie (which was quite good for a five year old's drawing!)

with a red bow in her hair sitting on a tree swing.  The writing on the top was also in red it said, "To Mommy" then on the bottom in purple he drew a heart and wrote his name.  

"I love it, sweetie—and I love you, and you're getting a hug," she picked him up and kissed him, watching his little legs run in the air.

"I love you, too, Mommy."  He said quietly as he went back to the table to put his crayons away in a neat and orderly fashion.

"Do you want some chocolate syrup in your milk, Hunter?"  She put his drawing on the fridge with the others.

"Yes, please."

He was such a cute little gentleman.  He would always be her darling baby boy.

~End flashback~

      Eric picked up the books and placed them in a few empty boxes that he found in the stables and put them on the floor away from the bed and put all the shelving in a back nook area so that no one would trip over it.  Jackie didn't need to come home to that mess.  He convinced Hyde to finally go to the hospital and see his son.  He was in the bathroom washing his face and putting on a clean shirt.  

"I'll start the car, Hyde."  Eric took Hyde's keys off the dresser. 

"I'm right here," He wore his mint green button down shirt, which was approximately borrowed 100 times by his son. "I'll do my own driving, Forman.  Thanks for cleaning up the room though."

Eric slightly smiled.  He knew Hyde was in a lot of pain.  You never want to outlive your children, that's just wrong and not part of the galaxies rules. Even just the thought of it was enough to devastate any parent. Eric tried to reassure Hyde that Hunter was "going to be okay".  Eric was happy that he got Hyde to just go to the hospital, hiding out at home and destroying the bookshelf was not what Hunter needed right now.  Hyde needed to be with his family.  

     Megan and Hannah sat in the coffee shop.  Hannah kept going on and on about how sorry she was about everything and Megan told her in a nice voice to "please, be quiet".  All she wanted to do was see Hunter.  But ONLY immediate family was allowed in the ICU.  Which was a terrible rule that only worked best on paper.  The Forman and Hyde families knew each other for eternity; they were part of the circle game. They WERE ALL family.  Megan could only drink half of her 7-Up.  

"I want to see Hunter."

"I have an idea, come on."

Megan threw her soda cup in the trash and let Hannah push her chair.  She wondered what she had up her sleeve? Hannah dropped Megan off outside Hunter's hospital room door.  Megan watched as Hannah faked a stomach pain in front of the nurse's station and Megan knew that was her cue to go into his room.  No one saw him yet because they were all told to "wait for the doctor" and Jackie was going to punch someone in the mouth soon if she didn't get to see her son.  Megan was grateful for the handicapped accessible wide doors and was able to open the door and wheel herself in there quite easily.

Hunter was breathing on his own but he was still hooked up to other beeping machines, tubes, and general devices.

"Hunter," She wheeled herself as close as she could get, "Your IV is in the way, and I'm going to try to move it, so I can get closer to you."   She tried not to cry.  It amazed her how calm she actually was at the moment. 

It was easier to move the IV off to the side as it was on wheels.  

She held his hand and kissed it.   "I LOVE YOU."

She was about to move her upper body forward to kiss him on the lips, when the door swung open.  

"I'm afraid you're going to have to leave, Miss.  You are NOT allowed in here."

"He's my fiancée!"  She shouted out, not caring if a parent was present to hear it or not.

"The patient needs his rest."

"Don't you even think of TOUCHING my wheelchair!  I'll run you over, you heartless bitch of a nurse!"

"leave megan alone."  Hunter replied with closed eyes, in a weak voice.

"Hunter!  You spoke!  I'm right here, honey."  She held his hand as the nurse went to get the doctor.

"megan—"

"Ssh," she went back to what she was going to do before, before Nurse Ratchet came in and stopped her, "I love you, Hunter."  She kissed him on the lips.

"wh-at happ-ened?"

"You were in a car accident.  Ssh, stop talking."

"love. you. megan. going. sleep. now."

She caressed his face and kissed his lips for one last time today before the doctor came in to kick her out of the room.  She had to tell everyone that Hunter spoke!

(yay!  he arrived back safely, red.)

(thanks to our beautiful granddaughter, kitty.)

Megan unknowingly saved Hunter's life on March 20, 2016.  Keeping the circle unbroken.

The Circle Game  
by Joni Mitchell 

* * *

Yesterday a child came out to wonder  
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar   
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder   
And tearful at the falling of a star   
  
Then the child moved ten times round the seasons  
Skated over ten clear frozen streams   
Words like when you're older must appease him   
And promises of someday make his dreams  
  
And the seasons they go round and round   
And the painted ponies go up and down   
We're captive on the carousel of time   
We can't return we can only look   
Behind from where we came   
And go round and round and round   
In the circle game  
  
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now   
Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town   
And they tell him take your time it won't be long now  
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down   
  
And the seasons they go round and round   
And the painted ponies go up and down   
We're captive on the carousel of time   
We can't return we can only look   
Behind from where we came   
And go round and round and round   
In the circle game  
  
So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty   
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true  
There'll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty  
Before the last revolving year is through  
  
And the seasons they go round and round   
And the painted ponies go up and down   
We're captive on the carousel of time   
We can't return we can only look   
Behind from where we came   
And go round and round and round   
In the circle game  
  


* * *

Copyright © Siquomb Publishing Company 1970

  
  



	14. Under Pressure

Chapter 14

Under Pressure

     Hyde hoped that Jackie would understand him not coming to the hospital sooner.  For the first time he was glad that she knew about his first son dying, maybe she'd be more understanding that he wasn't there in the morning.  She knew that he loved his family and he really wanted to go to the hospital with her and Hannah, but he made that excuse about wanting to stay and wait for Tiffany, which was only partly true because when she arrived at the house, he blankly told her that Hunter was in a car accident and was in the ICU ward at St. Peter's Hospital.  He didn't accompany Tiffany at all. He just hoped his Wife would be sympathetic, but when he got out of the elevator with Forman, he knew he was in trouble when he saw Jackie's tired face, she went up to him, balled her fists, and started to hit him hard on the chest.  

"HOW could you NOT BE THERE for your own son, Steven?!  And ME!"  

Eric got between them, but that didn't stop her mighty fists from swinging.

"Mother—" Tiffany started to say

Jackie backed away for a moment and Eric got out of the way before Hyde could push him to the Moon.

"I just NEEDED my Husband—" She started to cry

Hyde walked towards her and gently put his hands on her shoulders before pulling her close and giving her a warm embrace.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I took the coward's way out and I know it—How is Hunter doing?"

She kissed Hyde on the forehead and they walked down the corridor hand in hand to sit down on one of those connected to the wall benches in the typical hospital décor color of bright orange.

"He woke up and spoke a few minutes ago.  Megan was with him."

He let his shoulder's relax at the news of his son being out of his coma.

"They are great for each other."

"I know—oh and it looks like her and Hannah are resolving their differences.  Hannah faked a stomach pain just so Megan could sneak in the ICU to see Hunter."

He smiled.  

"That's MY girl.  Did you see him yet?"

"No," she sighed, holding his hand the whole time, studying the thick veins, "I was waiting for you, Steven.  Don't you think that is something that we should do together?"

"Of course, Jackie.  I'm sorry about hiding into my shell, I should've been here for YOU and Hunter.  I know that I let you down." 'And myself, damn it.'

She pulled up his hand to her mouth and kissed it.  "I know dealing with your emotions has always been difficult for you, Steven, and I realize this is probably bringing back terrible memories of your son Ethan James—but"  

Jackie a virtual lexicon onto herself could not find the words to say to her Husband to comfort him.

"He's in a better place," Hyde coughed, he thought about his first son every single day, he just never talked about it, in his mind there was a difference, "Let's go see, Hunter."

"Shouldn't we go back for Tiffany and Hannah?"

"They can see him later, but right now, I think this something that we should do together."

"A doctor still HASN'T come by to talk to me.  I've been waiting since he was brought in.  What's the point of paying medical insurance for?"

"It makes me want to move to Canada."

"A lot of things make you want to move to Canada," Jackie slightly giggled.

There were no nurses around, which was a good thing Hyde thought, because if any of them said that they couldn't visit their own son he wouldn't mince words.

"My baby," Jackie went over to Hunter's bed as soon as Hyde held open the door for her.  "Oh, Hunter."  She lightly touched the huge square bandage that was on his head.

He blinked open his eyes, "Mo-m"

"Ssh.  Don't talk, son.  You need your strength."  Jackie kissed him on the cheek

"Da-d."

"I'm here, Hunter."  Hyde felt guilty because he felt he was giving his son the false impression that he was at the hospital all the while.

"I-s-Meg-an-Ok-ay?"

"Yes, son, she's fine."  Jackie replied "We love you, baby."

Jackie smoothed the hair out of his face.

Hunter nodded before closing his eyes again.  He thought there was something about his body that was out of focus, but he fell asleep before he could think about what it was exactly.

"We should let him sleep," Hyde said, as Jackie fixed his blankets and kissed him on the forehead. 

"Mommy loves you, baby."

Before Hyde left the room he made sure to kiss and hug his sleeping son.  He loved him so much and he hoped that no one doubted that for a second of HOW MUCH he did LOVE his Wife and family.  He just wished that he could show it outward better, you think after all this TIME he would be able to.  His walls were really starting to p*** him off.  It was just like Hunter having barriers that shouldn't be there, Hyde was at a point now in his life where he didn't need those protective blocks anymore.  All he could do was hold Jackie's hand and walk back to the waiting room to join their family and friends.

Temporary Cripple* (note-will be used as character quote)

     Two hours later Jackie and Hyde were sitting in the office of one of the doctor's that wanted to speak to them.  

"Don't bite your nails."  Hyde anxiously said

"I'm nervous, Steven."

He held her hand.  The doctor breezed in and introduced himself and Hyde didn't care about phony pleasantries. 

"Cut to the chase doctor, and tell us about our son."  It was Jackie this time that broke cover. 

Hyde was impressed.

11:00PM

     No one knew to 'bother' Megan by being well meaning or otherwise.  Even Hannah who was delighted to have her best friend back, respected her need for space despite all the talking they had to do regarding their own relationship, but Hannah realized there was only one relationship on Megan's mind.  It was between her and her brother.  Megan didn't want to leave the hospital, but Hunter was in a deep sleep and medicated so she figured she wouldn't put up a fight with the parents she would just go back to Jackie and Hyde's house.  However there was something that she needed to do before she could put her head on pillow and go to sleep herself.  She didn't even change into her nightclothes yet.

She wheeled herself to Jackie and Hyde's room and knocked at the door.

"Come in."  said Jackie, as she played with Hyde's hair, who was about to fall asleep.

"It's me, Megan."  

"Do you need anything, sweetie?"

"Is Hyde awake?"

Jackie slightly poked him.

"Yeah, I'm awake, what's on your mind, Megan?" He stretched and sat upright

"I'm too tired to take the long way round so I'll just ask it straight out.  Can I live here for a month or two?  Until Hunter adjusts.  I'm the only one he's going to listen to."  Or so she thought.  Or so everyone thought.

"Did you talk to your parents?"  Jackie asked

"No, I wanted to ask you guys first."

"You're always welcome here, Megan."  Hyde replied

"Thanks, I'll ask them in the morning.  And don't worry about Hunter, he'll be fine, and the doctor's did say his paralysis is only temporary.  Good night."

Megan wondered if she was the reason why NONE of the adults freaked out over the news?  Hannah was the only one to cry in her Mother's chest. Tiffany kept her tears on the inside.  Her Mom and Dad looked shocked more than anything else.  Megan figured Jackie and Hyde were too numb and they needed to soak all the information in.  

"Night."  They both replied in unison.

Jackie waited until Megan left the room and was back in her guest room before she spoke.

"Steven—" She slithered down in the bed, resting her head on his chest.

"He's going to be all right, Jackie, you heard the official word from the doctor."

"Official words mean nothing when you are Mother. I'm entitled to worry about my baby boy."

Hyde could've said, 'He's not a baby anymore, he's sixteen years old!' but since he had no desires to sleep on the couch he kept his mouth shut and fell asleep holding Jackie bathing in the knowledge that he was spared another loss that would have ripped through his soul so deeply that he wouldn't know if Jackie would have been enough.  Losing one son was heart wrenching enough, if Hunter had died—he didn't want to think about that anymore, he was alive and would make a full recovery and that was the most that any parent could ask for. 

       Home

       WI

     Although Eric missed his daughter very much, he was glad that Sgt. Donna relented and let Megan stay at Jackie and Hyde's for two months so she could help Hunter get used to wheelchair life.  However, it wasn't going to be a free ride as the first thing Donna did when she got home was call Megan's school to get a recommendation for a tutor and that way she wouldn't get behind on her subjects.   Eric was about to open his suitcase to throw his dirty clothes in the hamper but stopped because he felt like someone was in their house or had been.  Nothing was stolen.  Nothing seemed out of place.  But someone was in this house while they were away.  He didn't want to worry Donna so he just checked each room to make sure everything was where it should be.  

"Donna, did you make the schooling arrangements for Megan?"  Eric asked

"Yes.  I'm going to call the woman they recommended.  I hope they'll accept Megan as a student considering that this is very short notice."

"How come she just couldn't go to Hunter and Hannah's school?"

"If we did that, Eric, she'd never want to come home."

The last thing Donna wanted for was Megan to feel SO comfortable in Pennsylvania that she'd never want to come back home to her and Eric.  She realized this extended stay was only because of life's circumstances.  She hoped that Megan COULD help Hunter get used to being in a wheelchair.  If anyone could get through to him it would be their daughter.  Donna thought as she picked up the phone to call the prospective tutor and wondered why Eric was looking around the house as if he lost something?  

      Quiet.  Hunter Hyde was always the quiet one of the Hyde family, but now the silence was just dreadful as they all came home from the hospital.  Tiffany had to go back to New York for school and partly because her brother told her to go.  Jackie and Hyde figured there was no better time like the present then to take Hannah out of the house so that Megan could talk to Hunter in private.  She wasn't too thrilled about being tutored.  Man, why couldn't her Mother let her take a leave of absence?  Hunter looked at the floor, rather than her.  She didn't want to think it strange that he was in a wheelchair, because he never once thought that about her.

"Hunter, do you want to talk?"  She kept her distance.

"No," he felt as if he was in someone else's body. "Leave me alone, please."

Megan knew that wasn't him talking.  It was stored up emotions from the car accident.

"I-" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, even though she did, and always would.  Maybe it was best for him to have some space.  She could operate her chair, better than he could operate his, so she tried to keep her chin up as she went to the guest room leaving Hunter alone with his thoughts.

       Eric couldn't shake the feeling that SOMEONE was in their house while they were in Pennsylvania.  He didn't want Donna to get worried, or worse yet have her ridicule him for the thought.  

"Are we good?"  Eric put his hands around the coffee cup.

"What?"

"We have the house to ourselves, Donna.  I want to know are we good? We seemed to settle into yet ANOTHER routine."

Donna picked up his hand and kissed it.  "Eric, you think that you'd be thrilled that we decided not to go through with our in house separation."

"I am thrilled.  I don't know, we just went from bickering, tension to back to our hum drum routine again."  Eric sighed

"Relax, Eric, we're good."  

He smiled.  But like the zits that always used to show up on his high school class picture days, he knew something was about to rise on the surface again.  'but not at the expensive of my marriage and daughter'.  He never wanted to lose either one of them.

         Hyde paced back and forth in the empty stables as Jackie sat on the piled up wooden crates.  

"I didn't see it coming where Hunter would shut Megan out like that."   Hyde said

Jackie stood up, "I talked to her and she said she's fine."

"Of course, she's going to say that to US.  I'm going to have a talk with that boy."

"Steven, be gentle."

"Now is NOT the time to coddle him!  You know better than that, Jackie."

She smirked, "Hunter's going through a lot, we have to be supportive."

"I know that, but I'm NOT going to let him toss away his Soul mate.  Come on, Jackie."

He was surprised that he said that out loud, but he made that vow to himself a few months ago and he was going to keep it.  Megan and Hunter WERE soul mates, which was why he had to go against Zen and use the appropriate word.  He loved his kids very much and he loved Megan as if she were his own, too.  Those kids didn't deserve to wait twenty plus odd years for their complete happiness.  

"Don't yell at him."  Jackie said as they entered the house through the kitchen entrance

"Who's going to yell?"

They didn't have to call out his name, because Hunter did not move from the spot his Mother parked his wheelchair in, when they left the house with Hannah an hour and a half ago.  

"Hunter," Jackie gushed her voice, "Have you been in the same spot all this time?"

"Yes."  He replied quietly, looking at the floor again

"He won't talk to me."  Megan came back in the room

"I want to be alone."

"Who are you, Greta Garbo?"  Hyde said

"Who?"  Hunter asked, looking at the walls, the floor, anything but the faces.

"Never mind.  Don't you want to get settled in your room?"  Hyde asked him.

"I can't."

"Hunter, YES you can, you pushed my chair hundreds of times."

"That was different."

"Megan wants to help you, why won't you let her?"  asked Jackie

"I'm in NO mood for the happy cripple show that you put on Megan."

"F*** you, Hunter!"  Megan threw the TV Guide at him, because it was only thing she could reach from where she was.

"ENOUGH.  Hunter, apologize to Megan before I hit you in areas that you can still feel."  

Jackie and Hyde ignored Megan's language as he hit a sore spot with her.

"Steven-no hitting!"   

Hyde never once hit his kids maybe a little tap to say, "don't touch the stove" when they were toddlers, but he never spanked or verbally abused his kids.  It still made Jackie nervous, because under the circumstances she was afraid he might actually do it.

"Don't you love me anymore?"  Megan asked, determined not to cry after all she was the happy cripple vs. Hunter the temporary cripple.

Hunter felt terrible as soon as he said the remark.  He hated himself.  He hated that he made Megan doubt their relationship.  It was like a game of ping-pong, one moment, he had doubts, then she would have doubts, and they were supposed to be good now.  Her engagement ring was supposed to be on layaway at the jewelry store.  Of course, he loved her.  He loved her so much he hated himself for all the hurt he's caused her and his family. 

"I'm sorry," he still couldn't look her in the eyes, "You don't have to doubt---" he couldn't finish the rest with his parents there.

"Then let Megan help you."  Jackie stroked his hair.

"How do you know my condition is temporary?  What do the doctor's know? So, is this who I am now? The temporary cripple?" Hunter asked, looking up to see all of their faces.

"Is that what this is all about?"  both Jackie and Megan said at the same time.

"Hunter, whether you are in this chair for two months or two years, you have to learn to accept it, because your Mother and I will not tolerate a rude mouth from you just because you are in a wheelchair."   Hyde said

"Do you want my help?"  Megan asked gently

"Yes."  he quietly replied.

"Good, then we'll leave you two alone."  Hyde said, patting his son on the shoulder as Jackie smothered him with a big hug and kiss.

"Do you really want my help?"  Megan asked, when they were out of the room.

"Yeah.  I'm sorry for that remark, Megan.  I miss sitting on your lap and holding you."

"You can still do that, Hunter."

"How?"  

"I'll wheel myself next to you.  Better put the brake on, you don't want the chair to take off—you know how to do that already."

Hunter was nervous, shy was one thing, but he hated to be nervous. He hated being out of his artists box.

"Okay.  Now what?"

"You've seen me do it lots," Megan took her hand and placed it on his knee, "See, look how close we are."

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close your eyes, if I'm going to do this, Megan, I really don't want you to see."  

He thought about the possibility of falling and not being able to get up and being caught in a sea of two wheelchairs.

"Just position yourself and work with all the strength you have in your upper body, just pretend your legs aren't there."  She cautioned, closing her eyes.

"Okay," Hunter took a deep breath, "If I fall down will you still love me?"

"Of course, I'll still love you," she opened her eyes, "You should realize me of all people would understand exactly what you're going through."

"I'm ready, Megan, are your eyes closed?"

"Yes!  And I keep opening them to answer you back!"

"Okay, well you can close them now."

Megan smiled as Hunter took a deep breath hoping he could swing his body to the right and land on her lap.

[cut to]

     Jackie was about to check up on Megan and Hunter when she noticed what he was trying to do, so she stood in a far corner with her fingers crossed.

"What are you looking at?"

"Ssh! Steven, keep your voice down," Jackie whispered, "Look."

"He can do it."  Hyde replied

Hunter's 'jump' wasn't entirely successful, but he got further on Megan's lap then he thought he would.  

She pushed his left leg down gently that got caught on her handles.

"You DID IT, Hunter!"  She kissed him on the lips and hugged him.

He wrapped his arms around her tight and sighed into her shoulder, "I love you, Megan Forman."

[cut to]

     "Aww!  My baby did it!"  Jackie said

"I know.  Now, let them have their moment.  But we can go to the stables and make our own moment."  He played with her hair.

"But it's COLD out there!"   

Jackie tried to keep her voice from raising as she watched Hunter and Megan cuddle.  They were so cute together.  Even though it was difficult to get used to seeing her son in a wheelchair.  What if Hunter was right and it wasn't temporary?  What do doctor's really know?

"I'll keep you warm, babe."

"All right, Steven, let's go—" She turned around to kiss him on the lips, "But this better be good."

"I'm always good!"  

They made their quick and silent exit out to the stables.

"Thank God, I'd thought THEY'D never leave!"  Hunter said

"I know, I bet they thought they were real quiet, too!  Well, if they get to fool around, why don't you say, I teach you how to get out of your chair and onto the sofa so we could make out while your parents are busy doing it?"  Megan asked

Hunter made a face; he DID NOT want to think about his parents 'Doing It' ever.

"That sounds like a great lesson to me, Megan."  It was the first time since his car accident that Hunter Daniel Hyde smiled.

One day later

     Eric was getting the mail out of the mailbox when a neighbor kid came up to him.

"Hi, Mr. Forman."

"Hi, Bruce.  I told you to call me, Eric."

"Hi, Eric.  My Mom told me to bring this book over for Mrs. F—I mean Donna."

"Thanks, I'll make sure she gets it."  Eric waved goodbye to the nine year old.

It was only when he threw the bills on the coffee table that he saw the title of the book.

The Fainting Phenomenon: Understanding Why People Faint and What Can Be Done About It (2001)

"What the hell?"  Eric whispered to himself.

There was never a dull moment around here, Eric thought as he put the book on the table, sat himself down at his computer desk to check to see if Megan or Jackie emailed, and for ten minutes block out the fact that Donna fainted recently and didn't bother to tell him. 

Never a dull moment.


	15. When You Play In The Snow, You're Going ...

Chapter 15

When You Play In The Snow, You're Going To Slip On The Ice Underneath

(opens during the same time frame as the end of Chapter 14)

      Eric didn't know if he should confront Donna or not.  Maybe, she was doing research for an article and was talking to Bruce's Mom and she recommended the book to Donna.  Yes, this all sounded plausible.  Donna was a writer.  No.  Donna was a great writer and great writers do their research.  Eric just got his marriage back (again) and did not want to screw it up. (again). Although he was convinced that it WASN'T his entire fault. There was no email from Megan, but there was a quick note from Jackie saying that Megan is fine and there were some tense moments at first due to Hunter having to get used to his wheelchair, but other than that it has been going well.  The phone rang and Eric didn't know where Donna was at the moment so he got up and answered it.  The caller ID said "Unavailable".

"Hello?"  

He could hear breathing on the other end but the person wouldn't speak.

"Hello?  Goodbye."  

Eric hung up.  Was this somehow connected to the feeling he had that someone was in their house while they were gone?  

"I have a bad feeling about this."  Eric muttered to himself as he went back to his email.

Next morning

     Megan had to get up early because her Mother called Jackie last night and said that they found a tutor for her.  Donna requested that Megan dress 'smartly' as opposed to what? Megan thought to dress 'dumbly'?   

Jackie knocked on the door.    
  
"May I come in, Megan?"

"Yeah."  She was done brushing her hair and she set it with the cheap drugstore

gel in the pink tube.

"You look very nice."

"Thanks, Jackie, is Hunter awake yet?"

"Yeah, he's in the bath."

"Did he get in BY HIMSELF?"  

"No, Steven had to help him.  Your tutor's coming by at nine o'clock.  I'm going to run off to drug store to get you some tablets and other supplies."

"That's not necessary, Jackie."  That's what her Mother would have wanted her say.

"Sure it is."  She kissed her on the head.

Megan smiled and that was when they heard a loud crash in the bathroom.

"Hunter!"  Megan and Jackie said at the same time

"My fault," Hyde came swirling by, "No sixteen year old boy wants to see his Mother while he's taking a bath, he's okay—"  

Hyde went to the bathroom to help his son and he found Hunter with his hands over his head and various bottles of shampoo and shower gel in the tub.  He turned off the water.

"I'm so sorry, son, that was my fault, when I lowered the rack for you last night, I didn't screw it properly."    

He took the rack out and placed it on top of the clothes hamper.

One of the few things he couldn't screw properly he thought naughtily for a second.

"I hate sitting down to take a shower."

"I know.  What bottles did you need?"

"The shampoo."

Hyde reached in the water and grabbed the bottle and it handed it to his son.

"Thanks, Dad."

"No problem, Hunter."  He took the other bottles and placed them in the back corners.

"Tell Megan I'm okay, she worries you know."

Hyde smiled, "That's what women do.  I'll fix the rack later on.  And take your time getting out of the tub.  And if you need help DON'T be afraid to holler for me."

He remembered when rack meant something else entirely.  Hunter smiled a little bit as Hyde closed the bathroom door.

"Is he all right?"  Jackie jumped in front of him

"He's fine.  The rack fell into the bathtub he's okay.  Don't worry, Jackie," he kissed her nose. "You neither, Megan."  He kissed her on the forehead.

"Underneath it all Hyde is a softie!"  Megan exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know.  Isn't he wonderful?  Follow me to the kitchen, we'll make some homemade cookies."  Mrs. Forman left her, her recipe cards, because she knew Donna would have no use for them.

"Chocolate chip?"

"Of course and oatmeal raisin."

It was like living with a 21st century June Cleaver, Megan thought remembering that her and Eric used to watch Leave it to Beaver reruns on TVLand when she was a little girl.  She missed those times with her Father.

         Eric didn't know if he should ask Donna about her recent fainting spell or not as she was sitting on the sofa watching TV, taking a break from her writing.  Eric got up and sat next to his Wife he was always a glutton for punishment where this woman was concerned.

"Donna," Eric coughed, "Are you okay?"  

'Just what are you keeping from me?'

"Yeah.  Why are you asking?"

"No reason."

"I was going to make myself a cup of tea, do you want one?"

"No, thanks.  I wish Megan would call."  

'Yeah, change the subject to our daughter, as if that would ever work.  Why do I always torture myself like this?'

"She won't unless Jackie makes her, she's asserting herself."  

'And she's in young love with Hunter' which Donna was slightly envious of, she wished she could be in young love again.  With Eric?  Yes, of course, with Eric.

She thought she was losing her mind.  It couldn't have been---

And what would do to their family if it were true?

           4 Hours Later

     Hyde and Hunter were driving back from his physical therapy appointment.  Megan warned him that he could come back grouchy, that it was harder for the people that have had the ability to walk and lost it (even if only temporary) rather than people like her who only wished they could walk, but never knew exactly what it felt like.

"Do you want to talk?" Hyde asked, he didn't want to bother his son, but he didn't want him to keep everything inside either.

"No, Dad.  It sucks."

"I know.  How did it go today?"

"Okay."  

"Hunter, you know a positive attitude can go a long way."  Hyde hoped he didn't sound hokey and new agey, but it was important for his son to have a good outlook.   

"Yeah, but I don't feel like it."   

It was only Megan's touch that made him feel better.  He wished that she could stay with them until it was time for them to get married and get their own apartment together.  Married. He hoped he'd be out of this wheelchair before then.  Not that he wanted Megan to be in her chair forever, either.  

"I have to stop at the store to get your Mother," he reached into his shirt pocket for a piece of paper, "Sparking water, Steven, not the non sparking water.  Must be sparkling.  Love, Jackie."

"I don't have to go in, do I, Dad? It's too much of a hassle, and I know you hate driving this van—and---"

Hyde tapped his son's knee.  "You don't have to come in the store, Hunter if you don't want to and you are NOT a hassle."

Hunter slightly smiled but still felt terrible on the inside.

Dunk Me

      Megan made Hunter close his eyes after dinner when everyone else left the kitchen.  She could tell that he was feeling down after coming home from physical therapy.

"Megan, can I open my eyes now?"  he asked quietly, he tried so hard not to be angry with HER.

"Sure."  She slid a small white box with a blue bow on it across the table.

He opened up the box after he took the bow off.  They were chocolate chip cookies.  

"Thanks."

"Your Mother let me bake your batch.  Do you want a glass of milk?"

"Uh—I can't ask you to---"

"Hunter, do you want a glass of milk or not?"

"I guess."

"You know if I had the opportunity to come back from physical therapy I'D be happy."

"I know, I'm sorry—"

Megan went to the refrigerator and took out the milk.  Hunter thought he had no right to be upset when Megan went through this every single day of her life and always would.

"You don't have to be sorry.  Maybe, you need to say it sucks."

"What?"  he broke a cookie in half making sure that the crumbs landed on the cloth napkin.

"Maybe, you need to say being in a wheelchair sucks."

"Megan, how can I say that when YOU---" 

'I can't say it to YOU.'

"It's got nothing to do with me, Hunter.  I just think that you need to say it."

He dunked the cookie half in the milk and sighed, "Maybe, later."

       Hyde lightly shook her shoulders and woke Jackie up at three in the morning.  Her face was covered in a green facial mask that it almost scared the hell out of him.

"My god, Jackie, what do you have on your face this time?"  Hyde asked in the soft glow of the nightlight.

"My avocado facial plumping mask.  Steven, did you have a reason for waking me up out of a sound sleep?"

"Yeah, Donna's on the phone, and she sounds upset, so you better take it in the bathroom so you don't wake up the kids."

"Okay," she kissed him on the nose getting mask on his face, "Love you."

"Love you. Not the goop that you put on your face."

Jackie sat on the clothes hamper and tried to talk softly. 

"Hi, Donna, what's wrong?"

"I—"

"What is it?  It's not Eric is it?"

"N-no.  Eric's f-fine.  Is—Meg—"

"Megan's good.  What is it?"

"I s-saw—"

"What did you see?"

"M-may-be—I- sh-should-n't h-hav-e-ca-ll-ed---"

"Nonsense.  You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything, Donna."

And so Donna told Jackie who almost dropped the phone in the bathtub.  Sh**.  This was going to be a massive family crisis—and the last thing any of them needed was yet another crisis.  Couldn't one whole decade go by without any of the drama that clogged their lives like the collective toilet?

     Does Eric Know?

     Eric couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Donna, she woke up when she thought he was sleeping and he heard her run downstairs along with the muffed voice a few minutes later.  He figured she was talking to Jackie on the telephone and he was too tired to get up and eavesdrop but something was not right.  It was the next week when Eric was hungry after having a non-eating business meeting with a client at one of the more expensive restaurants in town. So he figured he could grab a burger at the local Friendly's.  He called Donna on his cell and asked her if she wanted to join him but she declined and mentioned something about being tired.  He missed seeing his not-so-little girl anymore and couldn't wait for her to come back home.  She only wanted to talk a little bit on the phone and he was sure it was because she'd rather be kissing her boyfriend than to be talking to her parents on the phone.  But she said she did miss him and he believed her, because he and Megan were very close.  He sipped his coffee and went to open up his briefcase figuring he could read his paper mail while he waited for the waitress to serve him.  All bills. Megan's dentist bill from what the insurance wouldn't cover, mortgage, water, phone, and—the only non-bill in the bunch.  A letter that was put in his mailbox but had no postmark or stamp on it.  He wasn't going to open it at first, but figured it might be important.  It was typewritten from an old IBM Selectric when the letter keys were on what was called a golf ball printer.  The initial "M" was the only thing handwritten on the paper.

Eric,

       I don't know what to say to you.

M

'M'?  Who is 'M' and how do they know me?'  Then Eric thought of how strange Donna has been lately with the fainting spell that he still didn't ask her about and her quiet behavior as of late.  What if she knew who 'M' was but wasn't telling him because she wanted to spare him his feelings?  He threw the letters back in his briefcase and paid twenty dollars for a ten dollar meal and went back home to talk to his Wife.

Let the good times roll all night long.

      Jackie was sworn to secrecy by Donna who told her not tell Hyde about what she knew, especially with Megan there.  But she absolutely dreaded keeping secrets from her Husband.  

"Steven," Jackie hated interrupting his acoustic guitar playing, it set the mood of the tranquil house that she always wanted, "Where are the kids?"

"They went into town while you were in the shower.  What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry to do this to Donna, but you are my Husband and I love you more----"

Jackie told Hyde what she knew, who almost dropped his guitar off his body.

"Holy sh**.  Does Forman know?"

"No."

"Is Donna one hundred per cent sure?"

"Yeah."

"The fun never ends does it, Jackie?"   Hyde went back to his song as Jackie sat on the floor to listen.

     Eric skidded into the driveway and ran into the house.  

"Donna," he said in a loud voice, "Where are you?  We need to talk."

But there was no sign of her downstairs.  He went upstairs trying not lose his cool.

"Donna---are you here?"    
  
She wasn't in any room.   He ran down the stairs thinking if she bailed their marriage was definitely done.  He was too old for this bull****.  They were almost sixty years old for f***'s sake.   He opened the front door and saw Donna lying there on the front porch.

"Oh my god, Donna!"  he bent down, "Donna," he gently slapped her face.  

She opened up her eyes, "E-ric."

"Can you get up?"  he asked her

"Yeah," she leaned on him, "I'm okay."

"No, you aren't.  You fainted before.  Don't ask how I know, I just do."  He helped her in the house and laid her down on the sofa and covered her with a blanket.

"Eric—I can't."

"You can't what, Donna?"

"I can't tell you."  She coughed.

He went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.

"Does Jackie know?"  he asked matter of factly.

"Y-es."  She took the glass and drank half of it.

"Then she's going to tell Hyde---and is that fair to me?"

"Eric, I can't tell you---I just can't," She cried, "Just go Sal's gas station--------"

"What?"

Donna finished the glass of water, "Just go, Eric.  There are some things that you have to see with your own eyes.  I'm going upstairs to bed."  

She put the water glass down and took the blanket with her leaving her Husband even more confused.

He stood in the same spot thinking of not going to Sal's gas station.  What was there?  What? Who? Was Casey Kelso back in town?  Last he heard he gained fifty pounds, was bald, had an ex wife, and three screaming brats that he never saw.  'Damn' Eric thought as he walked back towards the kitchen and back to his car to find out exactly what his wife couldn't tell him.  

     Sal's gas station was across the street from Megan's old pediatrician when they moved back to Point Place.  Eric thought this was pointless and wondered if this wasn't just an hysterical symptom of God forbid he even think it-Donna's change of life.  He noticed since he was here, he might as well put some gas in the car.  It was self serve and Eric missed the days when he was out with Red as a young boy, when the jovial old guy used to come out of the little house with the squeegee and wash your windows and check the air in your tires as you waited for your gas tank to be full.  And Mr. Henderson used to give him a mini chocolate bar afterwards.  Gone were the days.  

Eric hated the smell of gasoline as he put the pump back and went inside to pay.

Naturally, no one was present so Eric had to ring the bell that was by the cash register.  Since he didn't get to eat dinner he grabbed a soda and bag of chips and as everyone's reaction including those that didn't even see what he was about to, he nearly dropped them when the young man appeared at the counter.  

Eric blinked.  There was no mistake.  Even though he never saw the man before and didn't even know that he existed until just this very second. He still knew exactly who he had to be.  

"E-r-ic."  The man stumbled with his name.

"You are?"

"Mark McAdam."

"You were in my house?"

Mark backed himself in the small corner.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't take anything."

"And you called me and hung up and wrote me that letter?"

"Yeah."

"Have you spoken to my Wife?"

"No, Sir.  She saw me once when she came in here to pay for gas."

"I see."

Eric could not believe on how calm and robotic his voice was to the whole situation.

Mark took his own money out of his pocket and paid for Eric's gas and food order.  He nervously walked from the counter to face Eric by the door.

"I know this is going to sound corny—but may I hug you—just once?"

Eric had no reply to give the young man as his arms went around him, but he could not return it.

Mark twitched and felt a lump grow in his throat.  "That was all I—ever wanted from you—and you couldn't even give me that.  Don't you worry, I'll be leaving Point Place soon and I'll go back to Indy—Goodbye, Eric."  he didn't care if he was a man in tears as he ran to the back room away from the only person he ever wanted to know.


	16. Romeo & Juliet Had More Time

Chapter 16

Romeo & Juliet Had More Time

     (same time following the end of the last chapter)

     Megan was angry after she had an innocent talk with Hyde when herself, Hunter, and Hannah got back from hanging out at the arcade which seemed like an '80s thing to do.  She waited for Hunter to sit on her lap so she could pull the hood from his Christmas Adidas hoodie she bought him over his head, pull the strings tight, and push him off her.

"Hey!  What was that for?"  He pulled the hood off his head, but it was going to take awhile to get up.

"Hunter, how come you can tell your Dad the whole thing sucks, but you can't say it to me?"

"Megan, I can't get up, you pushed me too hard!"

"Good.  I'll get to look down on you!"

"What's going on in here?"  Entered Jackie

"Leave him there!  He won't tell ME being in a wheelchair sucks, so I pushed him."   Megan stuck out her tongue at him

"Now, I can't leave him like that," Jackie might have been small but she would have been able to lift a truck if any of her three children were trapped underneath it.

She helped Hunter back on the sofa so he could sit next to Megan.

"I'm not sorry that I pushed you, Hunter."

"Well, Megan---I can't think of a comeback right now."

"It's not about that.  Why can't you TELL ME that being in a wheelchair sucks?"

"Mom, can you help me to my wheelchair?  I'm 'afraid' Megan will push me again."

"No, son.  I'd also like to know the answer to Megan's question."

"Because, because, it's selfish of me to say it, okay?  Can I go now?"

"No, Hunter, why do you think it's selfish?  Because I'll be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life and you won't?  Well, let me tell you, you're the one that's being selfish for not giving me any credit!"  

Megan whacked him with the pillow.

"Mom!  Aren't you going to yell at Megan?"

"Nope."

"It does SUCK being like this!  There, Megan, are you happy that I said it to YOU?  How do I come off being the bad one when I was only trying to protect you?"

"Who said I needed to be protected?"  Megan realized with that statement she sounded just like her Mother.

She hit him with the pillow again.

"That's what boyfriends do."  Hunter quietly replied

"Okay, we're all tense—" Jackie started to say

"I'm not tense, Jackie, infact I FEEL FINE."  

She hit him again with the pillow.

"Mother!  Are you going to let her keep hitting your son?"

"Yeah---Actually, I came in here to talk to Megan---"

"I'll go," He looked up at Megan with his sensitive artist's eyes, "It'll take me awhile, but I'll go."

"You know I'll always love him, Jackie—" Megan said when Hunter was finally able to wheel himself back to his own room.

"I know, sweetie.  I used to think that a man in shining armor was the most important thing in the world.  But, we're allowed to stand on our own two feet—or—"

"It's okay, I know what you mean.  You said you wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes.  While you kids were out I got a call from your Mother and she'd like you to come home now."

"But I just got here!"

Her Mother was the most impossible person on the face of the ENTIRE universe.

God, she was starting to despise that woman!

"I know, Megan, and you are always welcome here anytime.  But, your parents want you home."

Then Megan thought what if something was wrong with them and she was being selfish herself?

"Are Mom and Dad okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine."  

Jackie doubted that Donna would ever faint again, now that Eric knew the reason behind it.  And although Donna didn't come right out and say it she figured this was why Megan had to leave.

"Now, I feel bad for hitting Hunter."

"Don't feel bad, baby.  He needed the wake up call.  You two can stay up as late as you want tonight.  Your Mom wants you on the first plane out and I know you two will want to say your goodbyes.  But try not to stay up too late, because I believe your flight leaves at nine in the morning."

Jackie made a mental note in her head that after she was done talking to Megan she was going to have to call the tutor and cancel her services.  

"Well, if I have to go," Megan sighed, "Then I have to go."  

      Megan figured her packing could wait as she knocked on Hunter's door.  He didn't say anything, so she just opened the door and wheeled herself in.

"Hi, Hunter, sit on my lap---"

"Nah-uh.  I'm not falling for that twice, Megan."

She laughed, "I'm not going to hit you, but you deserved it then for thinking that you needed to protect me.  I have to leave tomorrow."  She blurted out.

"What?!"

"Donna called Jackie while we were at the arcade.  She wants me home.  I know this couldn't have been Dad's idea, he's not as fanatical as she is."

"You're leaving?"  He asked again, not wanting to believe it.

"Our time together is always cut short.  Romeo and Juliet had more time!"

Megan decided to make it easy on Hunter and got out of her wheelchair and sat on his bed.  He admired her for how effortless she made it seem.

"Are you sure you aren't going to hit me?"

"If you don't get on my lap right now, I might have to give you the two pillow punch!"

"You're a spitfire when you get wound up."

"It's only because I love you, Hunter."  She put her hands through his hair when he got comfortable on her lap.

"I love you, too, Megan."  

He kissed her.  She was right their time together was always cut short.

     Jackie decided to help Megan out by packing some of her clothes for her.  She was going to miss having her around, but at least she didn't grow root here like when Tiffany stayed with Eric and Donna some years ago.  The circumstances were different but no loving Mother wants to be separated from her daughter for a lengthy amount of time like that.  

"There you are," Hyde entered the guest room and put his hands on Jackie's shoulders and kissed her neck, "I take it that you spoke to Megan."

"Yeah.  After she finished 'beating' up on Hunter."

"What?"  he raised an eyebrow in confusion

"I'll tell you later, Steven.  I'm sure by now they've made up."

"Does Megan---"

Jackie cut him off, "It's not our place to say anything," she whispered, "I hope they handle it right."

"I don't think it's our place to get involved, period."  Hyde replied.  

He just hoped that whatever transpired would not have a negative impact on Megan.  

"Steven, what's Hannah doing?"

"Her homework."  

Bless her for being that involved in school.

"I'll tell you what—why don't you find a movie WE ALL can watch and I'll make some popcorn---"

"With real butter?"  

Not the phony 100% natural yellow flakes that Jackie bought because his doctor said it was better for his heart than pure butter.

"Steven, you know you aren't supposed to have that.  I'll put fake salt on yours."

'Yippee'

"Yippee."  

He kissed his wife on the cheek.  It looks like come three in the morning he was going to have to sneak some of the cake that was taking up space in the fridge.

He hasn't had another heart attack since he had that one YEARS ago, but Jackie always acted like he was due to have another one if he put anything overly salted, caloric, and fattening in his mouth.

Hyde supposed there were worse problems that one could have.  He felt bad for Forman and Donna but it wasn't his situation and for once he'd like to keep it that way.

30 Minutes Later

     Megan finished her packing and it was nice of Jackie to have helped her start.  Her suitcase wasn't that heavy and she was able to close it and push it off the bed.  There was a knock on the door, expecting Hunter she said.

"Come in, honey."

Hannah opened the door, "It's not Hunter, it's me."

"Hi, Hannah, I feel bad that we didn't get to spend much time together."

"It's okay, I accept your relationship with Hunter.  You're good for him."

"Everybody always says that.  I don't know what they mean by it half the time."

"I can't speak for others, but when I say it--I mean that you break him out of his solitude and that's a good thing.  Are you ready to come into the living room?  I helped Dad pick out a DVD."

"Almost---"

"You want to talk to Hunter first?"

"You don't mind do you, Hannah?"

"No, Megan," Hannah replied, "Go ahead.  I'll help Mom with the snacks."

"Thanks."

They were friends again, but ironically they didn't spend much time together.  Infact, all the time Megan was here it was only their recent trip to the arcade that she even spent any social interaction time with Hannah.  Megan put on some the perfume that Jackie gave her and went to see what was keeping Hunter.

"Hi, Megan."  He covered up a large piece of paper with a book.

"What are you doing, Hunter?"

"I can't say."

"Do you want me to break out the pillows again?"  She smiled to show that she was only joking.

"Can you turn your chair around and give me two minutes?"

"Okay, but it better be good."

"It will be."

'He's drawing me another picture.  He's the sweetest boyfriend ever.  I just love him so.  And I hate leaving him.'

"Are you done yet?"  Megan asked, about a minute later.

"Yep.  You can turn around now, Megan."

"KIDS!  The movie is ready."  Jackie called out

"In a second, Mom!"  Hunter did his best attempt at a loud voice as he handed Megan a picture.  

It was a pencil drawing of them as Romeo and Juliet. 

"Hunter, you do realize that they died in the end?"

"Well, that's Shakespeare's version anyway."

"I love it, thank you."  

She wanted to kiss him, but it was going to have to wait.  He blushed, if she could have felt it, it would have made her weak in the knees. 

"KIDS!"

"In a MINUTE."  Megan called out so Hunter wouldn't have to.

"Thanks," He opened up his center desk drawer, "Would you do me the honor of sitting on the bed?"

She loved how he used words and phrases that no OTHER boys their age did.  

"Okay, but we're supposed to be in the living room."

"They can wait for us."  He took something out of the drawer and put it in his shirt pocket.

"Hunter, what did you put in your pocket?"

"You'll see," he did his best to sit on the bed next to Megan, not wanting to fall.  

"Put your hand in my pocket."

"Okay," Megan pulled out the gold key that had a purple ribbon going through the hole, "What door does this open?"

"Tiffany gave me the key this past New Year's Eve.  It's for her apartment."

"KIDS!"  This time it was Hyde's voice, but they didn't bother to reply this time.

"Hunter!  That was nice of her and everything, but I don't think we can get away with going to New York—do you remember what happened last time?"

"Megan, I think we learned our lesson, and there's a comic book convention in Secaucus, New Jersey in a few months---"

"And Jackie talks to my Mom.  Can I think about this for awhile?"

"Of course," Hunter put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her, "I'm going to miss you, Megan.  So much."  He swallowed so she wouldn't be able to tell that he was choked up.

"I'm going to miss you, too."

"Mom and Dad are getting annoyed," Hannah stood in the doorway, "Are you guys ready to watch the movie?"

"Yeah," Megan put the key back in Hunter's pocket, "Tell them we're on our way."

"Parents are a pain in the butt."  Hunter said in an seemingly uncharacteristic tone

"I know.  I'm going to ask Donna on why it is SO important for me to come home right this very second now?"

"Maybe, they miss your cute face?  I know I'm going to."  Hunter replied

They knew if they didn't want another Jackie or Hyde yell on their whereabouts that they needed to appear in the living room as fast they could considering they both had to wheel themselves there.

Megan smiled.  She was definitely going to miss his cute face, too.

1:00AM

      "Thanks, Hannah."  Megan whispered

"No problem."  She replied and quietly closed the door.

Megan kissed Hunter on the lips hard; she had wanted to do that all night long.  It wasn't fun watching a movie with 'everybody' in the room and not being able to make out on the sofa.

"How did you two manage this?"  Megan asked

"Just knowing Mom and Dad would hear my wheelchair, I just pushed myself and Hannah pulled and here I am.  Um, not to be ungentlemanly Megan, but can we go back to kissing?"

"Sure thing.  Because I can't leave here without a visit from the pirate."

Other than a few kissing sessions they had no real opportunities what so ever in the getting physical department. 

"Megan—"

"Hunter, we don't have time for your easily blushed state, so take off your pants!"

Megan squealed and Hunter thought Jackie and Steven surely would catch them in the act. (Well not 'Thee Act' but still--)  Ah, the fleeting moments of youth.

Sweethearts

      Megan fell asleep with her head on Hunter's chest at two forty five in the morning.  She kept her hearing aid in and her glasses on just in case a parent named Jackie or Hyde came in she wouldn't be defenseless.  She opened up her eyes at four am. 

"Are you awake, honey?"

"sort-of."  Hunter yawned

She put her hand inside his shirt and moved her index finger across the center of his chest.

"I'm going to hate leaving you—" Megan trailed her words off

"I know—but I'm going to be fine, thanks to you."  He gently scooted her hand out of his shirt and kissed it.

"As long as you can admit to ME that being in a wheelchair sucks."

"It does, Megan.  Sorry, I couldn't say anything to you before—it just didn't feel right with your situation for me to be complaining about it to your face."

"Well, Hunter, you weren't giving me credit, and I want you to complain if you feel you have to.  And I want you to keep going to your physical therapy—and I'm going to get a part time job, so that I can visit you soon.  I'm still p.o.'ed at Donna."

"Are you sure it wasn't a Donna AND Eric decision?"

"I told you before I don't think so."

"Ssh!  I hear footsteps in the hall."   Hunter cautioned. 

Megan put her head back on Hunter's safe chest.  "I love you, Hunter," she whispered in such a soft voice that she could barely hear herself, "And I'll be counting the days until our next visit."

"I love you, too," He kissed her on the head, as he heard the footsteps pass, "At least we'll be counting the days together."   They had the internet and the telephone to make their days apart almost bearable. 

They locked their lips in one last rush of romantic fury, as they wouldn't be able to have a proper goodbye kiss with 'all' of the worlds eyes on them in a few hours.  They fell asleep again with clenched hands as Hunter felt a slight shiver as he drifted off to sleep.  Their kisses were no longer forbidden.

The End


	17. ForbiddenCredits

Credits for Here Come The Brides By Carol (twiniitowers on FF net)  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story: (In order of review)  
  
Jaded Angel, Katies17, kashmir1, fireflower, Candy.72 generation02 and to all the people on F4F board especially Fire and Spice, and Jaded (not to be confused with Jaded Angel, different person—sorry for the confusion) southside, and kikiduck

Missing allybally and JackieHyde. and to everyone that I chatted with privately. Thanks so much, your kind words mean a lot.  
  


Carsey-Werner and Fox Television own the characters of- Jackie Burkhart, Joanne, Fez, Eric Forman, Kitty Forman, Laurie Forman, Red Forman, Bud Hyde, Edna Hyde, Steven Hyde, Casey Kelso, Michael Kelso, Bob Pinciotti, Donna Pinciotti, and Midge Pinciotti. All other characters and names created by Me.  
  
And a special dedication to the people whose characters inspire us to write the fan fiction in the first place:  
  
To the whole cast of That '70s Show especially to the gang in the basement played by: Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon, and Wilmer Valderrama.

As Always Keep On Writing And Reading,  
Carol-August 24, 2003


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